


Abode of Snow

by Empress_Imperia



Series: Ember's Blaze [2]
Category: Kung Fu Panda - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-17
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-02-03 15:01:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 69
Words: 183,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12750660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Empress_Imperia/pseuds/Empress_Imperia
Summary: For the first time in his life, Po is leaving the country! He and the Furious Five have been summoned to the frozen mountains of the Himalayas by the emperor to investigate an ancient ruin that may hold startling secrets. What they find there will be more powerful and terrifying than anything they had ever imagined...Written before the release of Kung Fu Panda 3, so there will be minor contradictions.





	1. Prologue

_Fifteen years ago…_

A dark figure stalked through the tunnels of the cave network that spread through the interior of the biggest mountain in the world, silent as the darkness and swift as the wind, hunting the smaller creatures that had chosen to flee rather than fight. It found them, smelled their sweat, blood and fear, heard their panting, then their screams as it cut through them like a knife through butter.

Its flesh was covered in brownish black fur, and covered in countless scars. Its limbs had been cut, bruised and even broken so many times that the muscles that were visible even through the brown fur looked grotesque rather than rippled, telling the story of a retired wrestler rather than a veteran warrior. Its feet, almost as large at the puddles of blood which they stepped on, trudged soundlessly across the stone floor. Its hands, bigger than the heads which they crushed like raw eggs, were clawed and half curled into fists as the figure chased after the small creatures covered in useless metal plates, wielding small weapons that nicked rather than sliced the figure's flesh.

On its chest and back was a collage of wounds, old and new. Tiny grey lines and small chunks of fur cut away by knife blades ranging from small throwing knives to massive broadswords. Bruises and puncture wounds from maces, spiked and blunt, lances, bladed and pointed, arrows, some which were set on fire. Burns from fires not originating from projectiles, attempts by old enemies to draw it out of hiding, all attempts ending with the same result.

Terror. A swift strike. Death.

The blood on its dark fur was not from old wounds. It fresh and shining, dripping and spattered, bright red against dark brown. As the figure strode through the tunnel, slaughtering more figures clad in metal, its ears ringing with their screams, its black claws obscured in bits of flesh and bone, more red was added to the brown. It didn't care. It didn't care that after the slaughter began fifteen minutes ago, the blood was finally beginning to dry.

Some of the creatures it killed with a well thrown boulder as they dropped their blades and tried to run. Others it cornered then killed with teeth and claw. Some ran. Some fought. But they all died.

Every single one of them would die before the sun rose.

Always the same slaughter.

Always the same ending.

* * *

_Our soldiers are under attack._

_Request help immediately._

_Hurry._

_It's coming._

_Commander Shan._

The writing was erratic, scrawled nearly indecipherably across the small scroll, as if the writer had been in a hurry, which considering the contents of the message seemed highly likely.

Monkey clutched the message to his chest as the small supply crate he had hidden himself in jostled slightly. A batch of shining dark red apples came loose from a sack and cascaded onto Monkey's head. The teenaged primate barely winced, deep in terrified thought. He let them bounce off his head, roll down his body and bruise themselves on the base of the crate.

All late afternoon and through the night, Monkey hid inside the small crate, stored with several others inside a small wooden cart. Said cart was one of two being pulled by members of the fifty-strong group of imperial soldiers currently traveling through the Tibetan section of the Himalayas.

This particular cart was being pulled by Zan, an old friend of Commander Shan's back from when he had first enlisted in the army. Though he had only met the man a couple of times, Monkey remembered what he looked like, a portly javan rhinoceros with a cracked horn and massive biceps from swinging his giant hammer since he was sixteen years old. Even now, in the middle of his worry and terror, Monkey could imagine Zan's muscles rippling as he pulled the cart like it was carrying pillows rather than food and weapons. Through the thick snow and rocky terrain the fifty soldiers and one stowaway traveled, with nothing for young Monkey to do but worry, the fear and concern aching inside him. They should have reached the small army camp by now, but the fierce snowstorm, which by now was starting to lessen, had delayed the journey by several hours.

Monkey shivered against the immense cold as he glanced through a tiny hole in the crate and caught a glimpse of the full moon, even through the blizzard that still raged. Walking alongside the cart was a soldier Monkey didn't know, a gorilla perfectly protected against the cold by his shaggy bluish-black fur. Monkey quickly moved away from the hole when the gorilla glanced in the cart's direction. He held his breath, but the cart continued to move.

Good. Monkey hadn't been discovered yet.

The young primate's stomach grumbled, but it was some time before he risked grabbing one of the red apples rolling about on the bottom of the crate. He chewed as slowly and quietly as possible, not wanting to risk alerting any of the nearby soldiers of his presence.

The snow continued to rage outside, loud even through the thick wooden sides of the crate.

The apple juice that gently oozed from the bite marks was freezing cold. So cold that Monkey believed that if he set the apple down after finishing it, the core would freeze solid. It had happened before. Before departing for the Himalayas, Commander Shan had shown Monkey an apple core that had frozen solid two minutes after he had eaten it. Monkey had laughed when Shan told him the funnier than expected story behind the freezing of the apple, even when his heart ached that he would have to leave for so long, one year to be exact. When he had voiced his sadness, Shan had ruffled the fur between his son's ears and with a warm smile told him that if the mission to destroy the remnants of the warlord Jong's army was successful, he could be back before that time.

And so Monkey had sadly watched alongside his mother and older brother as Commander Shan and his three hundred men gathered their supplies and began their journey to the base of the highest mountain.

Five days after their departure, a messenger hawk had arrived at the small lakeside village where Monkey and his family were residing with a scroll that stated that they had reached their destination, a large network of caves and tunnels, and were about to begin to pitch tents. The commander of Zan's unit had been the first to receive the message, and at Zan's request had the message passed on to Monkey's family to assure them that their beloved father and husband was safe.

Another day later, they had received another message that the army camp had been fully pitched, and plans for attack were well underway.

A seventh day later, the message that Monkey currently held tightly in his hands had arrived, carried by the same hawk, this time bloodied and disheveled.

Having been playing checkers with Zan at the time of the message's arrival, Monkey hadn't been aware of what was going on until a soldier had interrupted their game and insisted that Zan return to their unit as soon as possible. Having sensed that something was wrong, Monkey had followed them back to the army camp stationed next to the village, and after sneaking into the commander's office and finding the message, realized that something horrible had happened to his father.

The second he had finished reading the contents of the message, Monkey had rushed straight to Zan and demanded to go with them. Zan had of course refused, stating that whatever was going on was far too dangerous for a thirteen year old boy. And so Monkey had sneaked inside the closest crate, which was then carried to the nearest cart, and two minutes after that the journey to aid Shan's unit as well as find out what was happened had begun.

Now, as Monkey tightening his grip on the urgent message like a vice, he wished he had trusted his instincts. He wished he had been more insistent that his father stay. Of course it was too late to do anything now. Monkey could only hope that the unit he was traveling with was not already too late.

"Sir! I see it!"

Monkey was jolted from his thoughts by the sound of a soldier calling out to the commander, having to shout through the snowstorm.

"Very good." He heard the gruff voice of the boar who commanded the unit. "Keep moving, men, and keep an eye out for trouble!"

"Can barely open our eyes at all with this godforsaken storm." Monkey heard Zan mutter under his breath.

"Can you see if there is any combat?" The commander called after a few moments.

"I don't see any combat, sir!" Zan yelled over the blizzard. "In fact, it looks deserted!"

Monkey tried to see the camp for himself through the tiny hole in the crate, but saw nothing but snow and rock.

After a few minutes, the cart changed direction as the rocky path the unit was traveling along curved, and then Monkey could see the camp, which was so far away that the tents were mere black specks against the snowy surface of the mountain. Zan had been right. No fighting could be seen. In fact, he could see no life amongst the dark tents.

His fear increased tenfold.

Around him, he heard metallic sounds as the soldiers readied their weapons: swords, maces, axes, the works. Some checked and loaded their crossbows. Others strapped on a deadly variety of knives of all sizes. If who or whatever was still there, then fighting would almost certainly occur. Monkey almost regretted his reckless decision to stow away, but then remembered the fearful scrawling of his father's message.

"Will we need the fire lances?" A soldier Monkey couldn't see asked.

"They would be next to useless in this weather." The commander replied. "Besides, in these circumstances hand to hand combat will be the most likely outcome. Now quiet, everyone. We're almost there."

Indeed, the deserted camp through the crate hole was growing steadily larger, to the point where Monkey could make out the shapes of the tents. He felt a jolt of fear when he saw tears in the tents that looked like claw marks.

"Right, everyone. We're going in."

The second the cart halted, Monkey quickly climbed out the crate. With the speed and agility of his species, he leapt behind a rock and hid. Shivering despite the dark red coat he wore, Monkey peeked over the rock and watched as Zan and his unit gripped their weapons tightly and stepped into the camp, which Monkey now saw was a ruin. The claw marks in the tents looked even larger up close, and some tents had been ripped apart completely. Several campfires feebly burned, the embers glowing orange in the dark white. Dotted across the white snow were weapons and the remains of weapons.

There were no signs of the soldiers whatsoever.

"Where is everyone?" The gorilla soldier whispered, voicing the question that bounced around young Monkey's head. His voice was laced with fear and suspicion.

"Hmmm…" Monkey saw the boar commander's eyes narrow as he began to think. "If there was an attack, the smartest thing for the unit to do was to retreat to the cave network." The soldiers looked up at the cliff that overlooked the camp. The mouth of a cave could barely be seen at the top.

"Should we investigate, sir?" Zan asked, gripping his hammer tightly.

"Yes. If there are survivors, that's where they will be." Replied the commander. "Everyone, move out!"

Monkey waited until they were some distance away before following them.

* * *

The small path stretching up the side of the mountain up to the caves wasn't hard to find. Soon enough the seven men (including the commander and Zan) chosen to make the treacherous journey up the cliff to investigate were making their way up said path, their heavy armor threatening to drain their stamina before they even made it half way.

Monkey followed quietly ten feet behind them, keeping as far from the edge as possible, all the while thinking of the time he and his brother had spent training with blunt wooden weapons under their father's caring and intelligent eye. The wooden dao swords Monkey had played with, the water meteor hammer he'd sucked at swinging, the staff he'd excelled at, experiences so wonderful that they brought young Monkey some small amount of comfort as he fought against the fierce winds of the blizzard that still sought to blow him off the side of the mountain.

Other than that, the trek up to the cave felt like a lifetime. Up ahead, the commander reached the cave mouth, let out an uncharacteristic cry of horror and backed up to the very edge of the cliff.

"Watch it!" Zan yelled as he grabbed the commander by the chest plate and yanked him forward before he went over. The commander didn't answer.

One by one, the soldiers reached the top and saw something that Monkey didn't.

"Stay close!" The commander ordered. "Keep your weapons handy!"

Even Zan seemed hesitant as the group of soldiers entered the cave and disappeared from Monkey's view.

Monkey waited a few seconds, walked up to the top… and into a scene from a horror story.

He clapped a hand over his mouth as he saw what lay strewn on the ledge in front of the cave mouth: the bodies of over fifteen men. It looked nothing like the battlefields Monkey had seen in pictures. The smell hit him as the wind blew, and he fought the urge to throw up. He heard a retching noise from somewhere in the cave as one of the soldiers had much less success.

The stone ledge was splattered with blood, almost black against grey. The bodies the blood had come from lay torn, broken, dismembered, beheaded and mutilated in every possible way Monkey knew. Monkey saw one that had been ripped apart at the waist, the lower half nowhere to be seen. In this storm, flies where absent, but the deceased had begun to stink.

Monkey took a step backwards and whimpered. He had been expecting his father to be in the middle of a battle against mountain bandits… not this.

For a moment, Monkey stared at the dead, searching for a face he knew. Someone not here amongst the bodies.

"Dad…" He whispered, and turned his gaze to the cave mouth. He had to find his father.

He quickly walked forward when a terrifying thought stopped him in his tracks.

What if the thing that did this was still here?

 _Thing?_  He frowned at the thought.  _Why not things? Or bandits? Or enemy soldiers?_  Yet even at his young age, Monkey knew that no bandits or soldier could butcher like this. A monster was most likely.

_A monster that may have killed my father._

It was this thought that sent Monkey hurtling into the cave, into the metaphorical belly of the beast.

* * *

Deep in the network of caves inside the mountain, Monkey found Captain Shan.

He hadn't been mutilated like the others which covered the floor of the numerous tunnels Monkey had followed to find him, other than the enormous stalactite that had been shoved through his chest, punching a hole probably like the one currently sending a horrible ache through Monkey's body.

Monkey fell on his knees before his father and began to cry.

It was the only sound in the dark, cold tunnel.

He had always thought that his father, so brave, so strong, so awesome with a pole staff, was indestructible. That he could never be taken from them.

But now, as he gazed at his father through his thick tears, Monkey knew better.

Little more than a week ago, Shan had promised to be back to his family in a year. He'd said that he was the strongest man alive.

"Liar…" Monkey whispered, then immediately felt ashamed of himself. His father couldn't possibly have known what had awaited him in this snowy white hell.

Still crying, he took off his coat and used it to wipe the blood from his father's face. He then grabbed his father's hand, never wanting to leave his side again. It felt cold to the touch.

Monkey shifted himself so he was now sitting right next to his father.

"Why did you leave?" He asked softly. "I pleaded with you not to go. Why did you leave?"

His father didn't answer.

Monkey felt his strength leave him. His head fell to the side and ended up resting on his father's still shoulder. As Monkey sat there, tears stinging his eyes, thinking about how his mother and brother would be just as heartbroken as he was feeling right now, his eyes fell on the dao sword still clutched in his father's other hand. It was stained red with blood, with some strange dark colored bits on the tip. On closer inspection, Monkey realized that it was hair. Dark brown, almost black. It didn't look like it had come from any kind of animal Monkey had met before.

"You wounded it." Monkey looked up at his father with a tiny smile. "You fought it, and wounded it. Well done, dad. Well done…"

Monkey didn't move from that spot, didn't loosen his grip on his father's hand, not even when Zan found them.

"Monkey! What are you doing here?" His eyes widened in unpleasant surprise when he found the young primate. Surprise turned to shock when he saw his friend lying dead next to his boy, and then Zan was kneeling down, putting a hand on Monkey's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Monkey." He said. He glanced at Shan for a moment, sighed sadly, then turned back to Monkey.

Monkey raised his free hand to wipe his eyes.

"How did you get here?" Zan asked after a moment of silence.

"I stowed away in a cart." Monkey mumbled. "I'm sorry I disobeyed you."

"Don't worry, kid. You're not in trouble."

"Where are the other soldiers?"

"They're heading back outside. No survivors."

"Oh."

Zan looked very regretful as he gently prized Monkey's and Shan's hands apart.

"I'm sorry, but we have to go."

Suddenly Monkey was angry. He fought furiously but was unable to escape Zan's grasp as he pulled him away from his father.

"No! I'm not leaving him!"  
"We're not going to just abandon him here, I promise." Zan assured him. "We will come back to take care of him. But right now we have to regroup with the others."

Monkey continued to struggle, but eventually realized that it was hopeless. Zan kept a firm grip on his arm even as he relaxed.

"Come on." Zan said. "Let's go."

Monkey looked back at his father one last time before making his way down the corridor with Zan.

Ten steps down, Zan froze so abruptly that Monkey collided with his leg.

"Ow! What?"

"It's still here." Zan growled.

Monkey followed his gaze.

His heart missed a beat when he saw the dark figure standing at the far end of the tunnel.

Unbelievably huge, impossibly tall, covered in dark fur splattered in blood. A long slit on its chest looked like it had been cut by a dao sword.

Its footsteps echoed in the confined space as it approached them.

"RUN!" Zan roared as he pulled out a crossbow and fired. Monkey obeyed at once, didn't see whether or not the arrow hit.

He sprinted down the tunnel as fast as his legs and arms could carry him, and heard a furious huffing as Zan ran not too far behind. He could also hear the monster pursuing them, gaining on them no matter how much they twisted and turned in the endless labyrinth of tunnels. At some point in the chase Zan caught up to Monkey, scooped him up like a doll and carried him under one arm as he ran.

They reached another corner, found the bodies of five of the search party lying torn up in the middle of the floor, the commander among them. Zan rushed past them with a curse that Monkey had never heard before.

"Do you even know where you're going?" Monkey cried.

"No!" Zan merely replied.

A second later, they round another corner and saw the exit they had come in from at the far end of the tunnel. The ledge and night sky was visible, the snow still flying.

"I'll hold him off!" Zan half-threw Monkey to the ground. "Run and don't look back!"

Monkey didn't need telling twice, and turned to run as Zan pulled out his hammer and turned to face the monster as it emerged from around the corner.

A few seconds later, Monkey heard the rhino scream.

Zan, his father's old friend, dead. The thought didn't really register in Monkey's head. All knew that he was next. He could actually hear the monster not far behind. Coming for him.

In a surge of speed, Monkey reached the mouth of the tunnel, once again felt the wind on his fur.

He skidded on the frozen ground, stopped just short of the edge of the cliff. He gulped as he saw the ruined campsite a hundred and fifty feet down. He turned back towards the cave mouth on the other side of the field of bodies.

Slowly, it emerged from the hole. Its unimaginably large hands, black compared to the rest of its body, gripping the sides. Its terrifying face with its domed head sliding out of the darkness, followed by a muscular body covered in fur, blood and scars. Indescribable eyes fixed on the shaking teenaged primate on the other side of the ledge.

Monkey ran for the mountain path. The monster reached out for him and the tip of a claw nicked the primate's shoulder and drew blood. He could feel the sharpness and hear the snarl of frustration.

In front of him, the mountain path, terrifyingly steep and slippery. But much better than going over the cliff edge. Monkey reached the path and kept running. Then he tripped.

He fell, tried to curl himself up into a ball to decrease his chances of serious injury. He tumbled and tumbled. He felt pain with each impact with the cold ground, and at one point felt his arm break. He tumbled. Felt the angle of the path decrease. Reached the bottom and rolled through the snow. Skidded to a stop.

After a moment, Monkey shakily got up on his uninjured arm, his ankle swollen, blood trickling down the side of his head in a small stream, and looked back up at the top of the cliff. He saw no sign of the creature. Feeling only a little relief, Monkey sank back into the snow as two of the soldiers who had stayed behind rushed towards him.

Five minutes later, as Monkey was being treated by the army medic, the seventh soldier who had gone into the caves and was the only one who made it back out blabbering about demons next to him, he saw a dark shape peer at them from the top of the cliff. It was too far away to make out properly, but Monkey knew that it was  _it_. He expected it to jump down and finish off the remaining soldiers and himself, but instead it began to climb, up the mountainside, away from the ruined campsite.

Monkey watched it go, and kept watching even as it disappeared into the snow and rock of the Himalayas.

Then he remembered his father and let the tears return, let them stream down his face as the gorilla soldier began asking questions.

 


	2. One of those Days

Po Ping, former worthless cook at Mr. Ping's noodle shop and now mega-awesome Dragon Warrior, knelt on the edge of a small snow laden cliff watching the inhabitants of the Wing Chao village going about their daily lives. On his left, kung fu masters and Furious Five members Crane, Viper and Mantis gazed intently at the small alleyways twisting between the rustic wooden houses, searching for signs of trouble. On his right, kung fu masters and Furious Five members Tigress and Monkey did the same, silent and watchful. As for Po himself, he kept his dark green eyes on the main street which cut through the middle of the village. Despite the mission at hand, he couldn't help but admire the red, green, blue, purple and gold colors of the decorations that the villagers were busy setting up in preparation for one of the most popular festivities of the year: the winter festival.

Po's eyes briefly flickered to the avian and snake sitting next to him. In the two seconds he looked at them, he saw that while Viper was concentrating entirely on the village streets, her bright azure blue eyes flicking left and right in between alleyways, Crane's light brown eyes were constantly glancing at her, taking in her black and brown swirling tattoos and her pinkish white lily decorations. Crane's eyes glanced, unexpectedly locked eyes with Po's. Blushing slightly at the realization that the panda had been watching him, Crane tore his eyes away, focusing his attention on the village.

The corners of Po's mouth twisted into a small grin as he too returned to watching the village.

It was no secret to all but Viper that Crane had a certain thing for the snake. For as long as his friends could remember, Crane had been secretly admiring Viper when he thought no-one was looking. It had become increasingly obvious ever since the Temple of Heroes debacle that occurred six months ago, when Viper had been seriously burned by a fire trap and Crane had given up his own hat to help her recover.

His friends reacted to the avian's secret crush in various ways. Monkey and Mantis, who as students could be considered the 'class clowns', would almost always catch Crane in the act of admiring her. Ever since the first time they caught him, the two jokesters would tease Crane at nearly every opportunity, though as his friends they respected him enough that they didn't say anything that would make Viper realize what they were joking about. Tigress would merely roll her eyes whenever Monkey and Mantis started joking, and otherwise have nothing to do with the affair. Po, who only months ago had ended a very brief relationship with a panda named Ming, would take the supportive approach, occasionally urging Crane to tell her how he felt. Each time, Crane would shake his head, tell Po that now wasn't the time. But Po still kept urging.

"Any sign?" Tigress suddenly asked, interrupting Po's thoughts.

On both sides of her, her friends silently shook their heads.

"Keep watching." Tigress said. "They may attack at any moment."

Her friends nodded, and returned their gazes to the village streets.

Early this morning, Po and the Furious Five had received an urgent message that Fung and his croc gang were causing trouble in this very village. Po and the Five had rushed from the Jade Palace as fast as they could, Po huffing and puffing several feet behind the others, but by the time they'd got there Fung's gang had disappeared. The shaken villagers had told them that Fung had managed to take a few things and escaped. After some quick thinking, Tigress came to the suspicion that Fung would attack the village again in order to steal some more valuables, and with that they'd climbed up to the top of the small cliff, and they had been sitting there ever since.

The atmosphere at the top of the cliff was dull rather than tense, so Po took a deep breath and uttered what he hoped was a sensible conversation starter.

"So…" He muttered. "Are you guys looking forward to the Winter Feast tomorrow night?"

It was a few seconds before someone answered.

"Yes." Viper replied. "

"Are we having it at your dad's restaurant again?" Mantis asked.

Po glanced at Tigress before answering. He had half-expected the striped feline to shush him at once, but she kept quiet, seemingly tolerating the conversation because it wasn't affecting their concentration.

"Nope." Po replied, keeping his voice down. "Dad's having some work done on the outdoors area, remember? We're having it back in the palace this time."  
"Aw nuts." Mantis scowled. "I was hoping for some Dragon Warrior's Soft Crunch Noodles."

"Hang on, you didn't let me finish." Po muttered. "Dad's going to be the chef preparing the feast this year." Mantis's scowl vanished.

"What about the traditional choosing of the chef?" Viper asked. "It doesn't seem fair if you just pick your father, right?"

"Oh we're still having that." Crane spoke up. "After the Gongmen City Kung Fu Academy was built, Storming Ox and Croc became its masters, and one Master Boar joined them not long after. That means we're having thirty two masters instead of twenty nine."

"Because of the change, more food will have to be prepared." Po said. "That's why we're going to hire a second chef to help my dad with the cooking. A new golden ladle has already been made. Speaking of which, I don't want any of you guys waving to me during the contest!"

"Why not?" Mantis asked.

"Because last time someone waved, I waved back and accidentally disgraced a chef!" Po retorted. "Right,  _Monkey_?"

He turned to glare at the primate who had made him accidentally give an innocent chef the Hun Shu Wave of Dismissal… and stopped glaring when he saw his expression.

"Monkey?"

Monkey didn't answer, his mind seemingly elsewhere. His brows were furrowed, his eyes narrowed, his mouth pressed into a thin line.

"Monkey, are you okay?" Po asked. When Monkey still didn't reply, the panda glanced at the comrades on his left side. "What's up with him?"

"Not now, Po." Mantis suddenly looked nervous.

"But-"

"I said not now!" Mantis snapped.

Po immediately silenced himself.

After a minute's uncomfortable silence, he spoke up again.

"Soooo…" He hesitated. "What about Su? What's she going to be doing while we're all at the feast?"

It had been six months since Su, a shy, sweet little panda girl from Po's birth father's village, became a student at the Jade Palace after Master Shifu caught her performing a perfect split while reaching for her lucky coin. In that time, Su had proven herself to be quite skilled. Even better, for the first time in her life she was able to gain the courage to make friends: Pong, an eight year old piglet who was Po's own student, had forged a bond with her two days after her arrival.

"She's going to be staying in the student barracks with Pong all night. Sorta like a sleepover." Viper said. "Zeng's going to watch over them."

"You're wishing you could join them, aren't you?" Po grinned cheekily.

"Oh shush!" Viper's cheeks turned pink.

"Oh come on… two adorable kids sleeping peacefully in their beds in the same room! You must admit that you wanna be there!"

"Po, I swear…"

"Quiet, all of you!" Tigress suddenly hissed. "Look."

That was when they saw a group of half a dozen crocodiles slowly creeping through a small alley in the direction of the main street, the one at the front wearing a traditional Chinese helmet. Fung was making his move.

"You were right, Tigress." Monkey spoke for the first time in hours. "They've come back for more."

"Remember the plan. We ambush them in the main street." Tigress spoke quietly. "Po, you and Crane and Mantis take the right side. The rest of us will take the left."

"Finally, it's go time!" Po got up and along with Crane and Mantis made his way down the hill that sloped down the side of the cliff. Two steps down, Crane suddenly called to him.

"Po watch out for that ice patch!"

"What ice pa-"

Po slipped and began rolling down, his fur collecting snow as he tumbled and turning the black parts of his fur to white. By the time he'd reached the bottom he'd turned into a giant snowball.

 _Guess it's just one of those days_ , he thought as Crane and Mantis reached him, struggling to suppress their sniggers.

* * *

In the Training Hall of the Jade Palace, Grandmaster Shifu watched as little Su and Pong took turns 'sparring' with the training dummy. The sky, visible through the open roof, was blue dotted with oddly shaped balls of white. The aged red panda stood perfectly balanced on the tip of Oogway's staff, half meditating, half watching.

As he watched, Pong gave the dummy a kick to the 'stomach', making it sway back and forth a few times, then stepped back to let Su have another go.

As Su timidly approached the dummy, Shifu smiled as he remembered the first time she had ever sparred with it.

It had been one week after she had moved into the Jade Palace. Once they were sure that Su had fully adjusted to her new home, Shifu and the others had brought her into the training hall to begin her training. After teaching the child a few tai chi moves, which she excelled at in minutes, Shifu had her face the dummy. Just like the Dragon Warrior had done long ago, Su had nervously nudged the dummy with her fist, making it sway slightly as it was doing now. Shifu, with more patience and compassion than he had shown the last panda he had trained, urged her to try again. When Su punched again, this time a heck of a lot harder, the dummy had swung all the way back.

To the surprise of the kung fu warriors watching her at the time, Su had leapt to the side before it could swing forward and hit her. An admittedly clumsy child, Su had lost her balance while leaping and ended up lying in the corner of the room. When Shifu and the others had rushed forward to make sure she was alright, they'd found that Su had discovered something that had been lying in the dust behind the weapons rack she had fallen next to. Hysterical laughter (not from the highly dignified Shifu) had ensued when that object turned out to be the tooth Po had lost from his first spar with the dummy.

"Come on, Su!" Pong spoke suddenly. "You've done this before: hit the dummy!"

"B-but…" Su gulped. Her peasant's dress had been replaced with a blue vest that matched her eyes and dark brown pants. "What if I knock it into the wall again?"

Shifu blinked.

Since he'd left the task of teaching Su to Po and the Five, Shifu didn't have an entirely precise opinion of Su's progress. He'd been meaning to check in at some point, but his duties as Grandmaster meant that he'd never got round to it.

He leapt down from the staff, grabbed it before it could topple, and made his way over to the two children.

"Pardon me…" He spoke politely. "But did you just say that you knocked that dummy into a wall?"

"Um… er…" Su hesitated, looking positively terrified.

"You are not in trouble." Shifu said. "I just want to know if what I heard is true."

"Y-yes." Su muttered.

"Could you do it again?"

"Huh?" Su looked at him confusion.

"Do you think you could knock the dummy into the wall again?"

"Er…"

"Just do what you did before and hit it. I would like to see exactly what you did."

"Go on, Su." Pong murmured.

Su gulped again and walked over to the dummy. She took a deep breath, and punched it right in the middle. She cried out when the dummy shot back and struck the wall, knocking a spear from the rack.

"Woah…" Pong gaped.

"I'm sorry!" Su cried. "I'm doing it wrong, aren't I?"

"Su, what you did is not wrong." Shifu said.

Su stopped wringing her paws.

"It's not?" She asked.

"No. In fact, what you did was exemplary." Shifu took this moment to smile. "There are few children your age that I have met that are capable of such strength and precision."

"R-really?" Su's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes. Of course, there are a couple of things you need to improve on."

"What, Master?" Su asked.

"First, put yourself in the stance that you make after you strike the dummy. In the meantime, Pong could you continue practicing with the dummy while I instruct Su here?"

"Yes, sir." Pong bowed and headed over to the dummy.

Su did as she was told, positioned herself with one leg in front of the other, her right fist straight out in front of her.

Shifu's own eyes widened as he recognized the pose.

_Th-that's the pose Tigress used to make!_

"Master, are you okay?" Su asked.

Shifu realized that he was staring, and shook off his surprise. He approached until he was standing right next to Su.

"First thing's first, your arm should be a little straighter than that." He said. "It's pointing a little to the right."

Su nodded and moved her arm a tiny bit.

"Is that better?"

"Yes. That's more like it. Also, your front leg is not parallel to your back leg."

"Okay, give me a sec to get it right…" Su lifted her foot a little and set it in the right position. "Is that right?"

"Excellent. Try and keep that proper position in future."

"Yes, Master."

 _What a well-behaved, dedicated student_ , Shifu marveled as he returned the spot on the floor where he'd been meditating.  _Just like… just like…_

Shifu suddenly found it painful to finish the thought.


	3. The Shape in the Sky

Po had been right about today being one of those days. The battle against Fung's croc gang had taken only five minutes, and with the exception of a bruise of Po's head from when Fung had accidentally (seriously, it had been an accident) flung his helmet at the panda's head, the warriors had emerged completely unscathed. Once the crocodilian fiends had been tied up and sent to the nearest prison, Po and the Furious Five began the half-hour journey back to the Jade Palace. The ten centimeter thick snow crunched softly beneath their feet, while Mantis's tiny weightless legs made no sound or imprint in the white blanket, and Viper's long thin body made silent lines.

After a few minute's walking, Po lifted a paw to loosen the striped scarf that kept his neck warm and glanced at Monkey, who was still looking as sullen as when they had been sitting on the edge of the cliff. He leant down, tapped Mantis on his back (his shoulder was too small to tap), and indicated that he wanted to talk in private. The insect nodded in understanding, and together they slowly fell back, away from the group. Once they were roughly ten steps behind, Po began to speak.

"So what's up with Monkey?" Po asked quietly. "I've never seen him like this."

Mantis hesitated, but then decided that now was the time to explain.

"Don't blab this out, but tomorrow is going to be the fifteenth anniversary of his dad's death."

Po's mouth fell open slightly.

"Oh man…" He whispered. "What happened?"

"Aw, Po…" Mantis groaned. "Do I really need to go through this? I've already risked my thingies just by opening my mouth!"

"Mantis, please." Po urged. "I'm worried about Monkey."

"Po…"

"I'm worried about him as a friend!" Po raised his voice a little, but not enough to draw the others' attention. "I've never seen him this moody since the time I discovered the stuffed doll he keeps under his pillow! Mantis, I want to know what's going on."

The insect sighed deeply. He knew the panda wasn't going to let up.

"I don't know much about it." Mantis replied, glancing up ahead to make sure the primate hadn't heard them. "Monkey's never told us the whole story. Me and Shifu are really the only ones who know."

"What do you know?"

"All I know is that when he was a kid his dad was killed while on a mission in the Himalayas. Monkey has never said what killed him. The only other thing I know is that he keeps his dad's sword in his room."

"Dang, I never knew… and that's saying something, 'cause I'm his biggest fan!" Po said. He thought of his own two fathers, the noodle loving Mr. Ping and the stir fry loving Qiang, both alive and well, and his heart ached for his parentless friend. "Poor Monkey…"

"Yeah, I felt the same way when I found out."  
"How did you get Monkey to tell you?" Po asked. "If something bad had happened to my dad, I wouldn't want to talk about it either."

"Monkey didn't tell me, Master Oogway did." Mantis said quietly. "A few weeks after I made friends with Monkey, Oogway took me aside and told me about his dad. A while after that, Monkey found out that I knew. Fortunately he didn't get mad."

"You said that his dad had died on a mission." Said Po. "Was he a kung fu warrior or something?"

"Nope, he was a commander in the imperial army." Mantis replied. "He was the best of the best, according to Monkey."

"What was his name?"

"Shan."

" _Shan_ … nah, he's not in my mental encyclopedia of awesomeness."

"Huh?" Mantis raised an eyebrow.

"I've never heard of him."

"Don't tell Monkey I told you, okay?" Mantis asked. "I sort of promised him that I would keep it to myself."

"It's okay. My lips are sealed." Po said. "Thanks for telling me."

"Don't mention it. Now can we please drop this and get back to the group?"

Po nodded, and Mantis hopped on his shoulder as the panda jogged to catch up to the others.

"Hey, guys." Crane said as they reached them. "What kept you?"

"We both needed to pee." Mantis said quickly.

"In the snow?" Tigress smirked.

"When you gotta go, you gotta go." Po replied.

"I'm surprised the cold didn't freeze your tenders solid."

"It wouldn't have been the first time…"

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Let's keep walking, I'm freezing my butt off!"

Tigress rolled her eyes.

"Oh Crane…" Viper suddenly spoke up, her dark lips oddly curled into a smile. "I forgot to ask… who's this lady you've been admiring lately?"

Crane stopped so suddenly that the momentum caused his hat to fall over his saucer-sized eyes.

"Wh-what l-l-lady?" He stammered as he readjusted his hat.

"You know, the 'lucky gal' Monkey and Mantis have been talking about. Who is it? Bai Li?"

Crane shot a murderous glare at the pair, who gulped simultaneously.

"Well?" Viper asked.

Crane couldn't bring himself to look at her.

"Ugh… ahhh…" Odd sounds emanated from his beak.

Po chuckled at Crane's display, then glanced at Tigress, who looked like she couldn't care less, then looked at Viper. His small amused smiled flickered when he realized something very odd in her expression.

While her lips were smiling… her eyes weren't.

"Uhhhhh…." Crane swallowed. " _Yeah._ "

"Yeah what?" Viper asked.

"Yeah, it's Bai Li." Crane said. "I'm not still crushing on her, FYI." He shot another glare at Monkey and Mantis. "It's just that ever since  _it_  went awry, those two have taken to teasing me about it."

"Really?" Before Po's green eyes, the smile returned to Viper's blue ones. He could have sworn that for a moment she looked relieved. "Well, I'm sure you'll find that special someone soon enough."

Crane turned away so she wouldn't see the redness in his cheeks.

"Speaking of special someones… Mantis, how's it going with Anming?"

"Still going great!" Mantis was suddenly beaming. "Even greater now that Shifu's decided to break the tradition of no guests allowed at the winter feast. Once I've had my lunch, I'm heading straight to her house to invite her."

"That's awesome, Mantis." Po said. "It's great that she'll be able to see the Jade Palace when it's not trashed beyond all reason."

"Oh for the love of…" Mantis groaned. "Will you  _ever_  let that go?"

"Never." Po replied.

"Ever." Crane added.

"Are you talking about the Po-disappearing-after-a-night-out incident?" Tigress asked. "You know, I never got to hear the full story."

"And you never will!" Mantis snapped. "We guys made a pact that we would never disclose the events of the incident… ever!"

"Whatever…" Tigress turned her attention back to the road ahead. They were now nearing the front gate to the village that sat at the foot of the thousand stairs.

"What about you, Po?" Viper asked. "Do you have a certain crush?"

"Huh? Oh, no. No I don't." Po replied after a double take. "I'm the Dragon Warrior, I don't have time for romance!"

"Oh for heavens sakes, Po." Tigress suddenly spoke, her voice laced with irritation. "If Master Flying Rhino had that attitude, Thundering Rhino wouldn't have been around to slay the Ten Thousand Serpents of the Valley of Woe."

"She's right, Po." Viper said. "If there's someone you like, you should go for it."

They didn't say any more after that. As they walked through the village street, their words swirled around in Po's head. After a few moments, Po's eyes flickered in Tigress's direction.

It was a cold winter. One of the coldest winters ever experienced. It was for this reason that Tigress had given in and swapped her sleeveless red vest for the long sleeved green one Po had given her for her birthday a couple of years ago. The mere fact that Tigress was wearing it warmed the panda's heart. The dark green silken fabric complimented her orange striped fur and made her seem less sullen, less hard. Po's cheeks warmed as he looked at her, took in her golden eyes, which looked brighter as they reflected the afternoon sun.

_If there's someone you like, you should go for it._

Yes, Viper was right. He had to go for it, before he lost his chance.

The only problem was doing it and getting out in one piece…

They were just passing Dragon Warrior Noodles and Tofu when they heard a cry from within.

"Po!"

Po stopped in his tracks.

"Dad?"

"There you are, son!" Mr. Ping came rushing out of his restaurant and leapt onto Po's belly. "I've been waiting for you for hours!"

"Hey, dad." Po hugged his father back before letting him down. He frowned when he saw that the goose's beak was quivering in fear. "What's the emergency?"

"Oh Po…" Mr. Ping adjusted his noodle bowl shaped hat, which had been knocked askew in the goose's panic, before continuing. "Some suspicious person has been flying above the village since noon!"

"What?" Tigress turned her head upwards, suddenly stern and alert. The sky was currently empty. "Has he been circling?"

"Not quite. He keeps flying over every two hours! In fact, he appeared again just before you turned up! I had no idea who he was, so I stayed inside until you came home! Fortunately the shop was closed today so I could put up the decorations, so no noodles were harmed!"

"Which direction did he go in?" Tigress asked.

"In the direction of the Jade Palace."

All six warriors stiffened.

"Let's go check it out." Tigress said.

"I'll come with you." Mr. Ping said.

"No, dad. It could be dangerous."

"It's six against one, son, I'll be okay." The goose replied. "Besides, the chances are that he's not an intruder. And I promised little Su that I would come up after training time to teach her to cook tofu stir fry."

Po sighed.

"Alright… but if anything happens I want you to get the heck outta there." Po said. The goose nodded.

"Okay everyone, let's get up there and find out what's going on." Tigress said.

There was a hint of urgency as the six warriors and one chef quickly ascended the steps. As they went up, they kept their eyes trained on the skies for any sign of the mysterious flier. Half way up the stairs, a sudden distant cry above them stopped them in their tracks.

"What was that?" Mr. Ping asked fearfully.

"I don't know." Tigress said, her black-rimmed eyes staring up at the palace above them. "But it sounds like trouble."

"Okay, dad." Po turned to his father. "I think it's time you went back to the-"

He was interrupted by a screech from above.

"Oh my goodness, it's him!" Mr. Ping cried.

Indeed, a dark bird-like shape was soaring through the blue sky above their heads, backlit by the bright sun.

"Crane, fly up there and find out who he is!" Tigress said. "The rest of you, into the palace!"

As Crane lifted off and flapped upwards towards the shape in the sky, the rest rushed up the latter half of the steps and to their immense surprise found a dozen pigs, antelopes and geese dressed in bright colored clothing standing in a group in the palace arena.

"Who are you?" Tigress demanded, taking an intimidating step towards them. "What are you doing here?"

"In the barracks." One of the geese said.

"What?"

"The person who can answer your queries is waiting in the student barracks."

"Monkey, you stay here and keep an eye on these people." Tigress said.

The kung fu warriors barged past them minus Monkey, Mr. Ping close behind.

"Do you think Shifu knows what's going on?" Po asked.

"We haven't seen him since we arrived, so I don't think so." Tigress replied without so much as a glance, her face hardened with anger and worry. "He should be in the training hall with Su and Pong. Viper, you and Mantis go and inform him that there are intruders in the palace."

Viper and Mantis took off at once.

Within seconds, Po, Tigress and Mr. Ping were barging through the barrack doors. The kitchen door was open, so in they went.

In the far corner of the room was a small figure hunched over, searching through one of the lower cupboards. He was wearing a silken khaki colored robe and a dark green belt, and a wide rice hat sat on his head, made visible when he straightened and turned towards the warriors and chef. He was a goose, looking much older than Mr. Ping as evidenced by his pure white feathers and long mustache that greatly resembled Shifu's. In his wings was a large jar.

"What in god's name do you think you're doing?!" Tigress snarled.

The elderly goose merely opened the jar, and scooped out some almonds to inspect them.

"Hey, I asked you a question!" Tigress made to approach the goose, but Po quickly put out an arm to stop her.

"Hmmm…" The goose murmured as he held a single almond up to his eyeball. "These almonds are cracked."

Mr. Ping tensed, having had supplied those almonds himself. He stepped forward before Po could stop him.

"Who in the name of the golden dragon of unity do you think you are?" He said in a low, furious voice, lifting a feathered finger to poke the elder goose in the chest. "Well? Who are you?"

"My name is Di Tan." The goose said politely, his beak raising his own wing to shake the goose's outstretched finger. "You must be Mr. Ping. I hear that your noodles are as famous as mine these days."

Mr. Ping's eyes bulged as his brain registered the name. Black shock loosened the hinges of his beak and his jaw dropped. His pointing finger began to quiver.

" _Di Tan…_ " He whispered, frozen in disbelief. " _Di Tan…_ "

The elder goose merely chuckled and bent down to put the almond jar back in the cupboard.  
" _Di Tan_?" Po was also surprised. "You're the legendary noodle chef dad always talked about?"

"I wouldn't say 'legendary'." Di Tan said with a humble smile. "You on the other hand… judging by your species and presence in the Jade Palace, you must be the Dragon Warrior."

"Yeah, I am. You can call me Po if you want."

"It is an honor to meet you, Master Po." Po felt a little sheepish as the goose bowed to him.

"Enough introductions!" Tigress suddenly snapped. Her hardened expression had not changed once during their exchange. "For the last time, what are you doing here?"

"You must be Master Tigress." Said Di Tan, not intimidated in the least. "I apologize for the unexpected visit. However, if you-"

BAM!

"Alright, who is this intruder?!" Shifu said angrily as he barged through the kitchen doors, Viper and Mantis close behind.

"Er, Shifu, this is Di Tan." Po said, slightly startled by the red panda's sudden appearance. "Di Tan, this is Master Shifu."

"It is an honor to meet you, Grandmaster."

"What are you doing here?" Shifu asked, a little less angrily as he realized that this goose posed no threat.

"To properly answer your question, you will have to speak to- oh speak of the devil! Here he comes!"

Po, Tigress and Shifu spun around (Mr. Ping was still in shock) just in time to see Crane and a black eagle in bright red clothing enter the kitchen. This eagle's curved beak looked twice as deadly as his large talons, and his eyes were dark and sharp. With a jolt, the warriors in the room realized that he had been the mysterious figure in the sky.

"Who is this?" Shifu demanded.

"He says he's Master Eagle, and he's here on behalf of the emperor." Crane said.

"Master Eagle Junior, to be precise." The eagle said briskly, just as Po opened his mouth to freak out over Master Eagle's defeat of the hyenas of Han Dan. "I was merely scouting the area to ensure that no spies were in the village. Master Crane tells me that my presence alarmed the villagers. I apologize."

"It's alright." Shifu said, waving off the apology. "You say you're here on behalf of Emperor Xian. What does he want?"

"Does his grandson Lu Kang need training?" Po spoke up. "'Cause that was the last thing he wanted us for."

"Not quite." Master Eagle Jr. said. "May we proceed to the Hall of Warriors?"

"Fine. You can explain on the way." Shifu said.

At that moment, Monkey entered the room.

"That group of people in the arena says they're imperial palace servants." He said. "I'm pretty sure they're telling the truth."

"They are." Shifu said. "Master Eagle Jr. here says that they are here on behalf of the emperor."

"The emperor?" Monkey's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "What does he want?"

"Walk with me and I'll explain." Master Eagle Jr. said.

It wasn't until they all exited the barracks, leaving the near-catatonic Mr. Ping in the kitchen, and began up the path to the Hall of Warriors that Master Eagle Jr. began to speak.

"The emperor sends his most sincere apologies for this intrusion." He said as they walked. "But he wishes to meet with you to discuss a very important matter."

"When?" Shifu asked. While Po and the Furious Five were astonished that the emperor himself had requested to meet them, Shifu barely pricked his ears.

"Tomorrow night." The black eagle replied. They reached the Hall of Warriors and stopped just outside the front doors.

Shifu sighed.

"I'm sorry, but tomorrow is going to be a problem." He said. "It would take us a week to travel to the imperial city."

"Yes, I told Emperor Xian that…" Master Eagle Jr. said.

That was when the front doors opened, and a tall figure stepped out.

He was a tiger, probably sixty years old at the most, obviously of regal bearing. Flowing robes of gold and red covered his body, with intricate dark green patterns stretching across the shimmering fabric. A dark colored crown sat atop his head. Despite his assumed age, he had the face of a forty year old man, and a good looking one at that. His fur was short and neatly trimmed, his black stripes were perfectly symmetrical, and his eyes were a warm orangey-brown, the color of tea. As he stood before the thunderstruck Jade Palace warriors, he smiled and spoke in a calm, velvety voice.

"The fact is… I don't want to wait a week."


	4. Familiar Faces

Emperor Xian couldn't help but feel amused as he watched a variety of expressions form on each Jade Palace warrior's face. Grandmaster Shifu's ears pricked straight up into the air. The panda's eyes bulged and his jaw dropped. The golden languor monkey simply stared in silent shock, his mouth shaped in a perfect O. The praying mantis took one look then fell backwards from the primate's shoulder. The black crested crane was silently mouthing 'emperor Xian' in pure amazement. The green tree viper had completely frozen. The south china tigress simply gazed at him in mild surprise… and as Xian looked at her, he couldn't help but stare back.

"Y-your greatness!" Shifu said once he had regained his voice. Po and the Furious Five merely continued to stare. In his twenty years as emperor, Xian had proven to be a great, if slightly eccentric leader, and every now and again the Five had been of service to him. But it was still a shock to finally meet him in the flesh.

"May I present the shining Emperor Xian." Master Eagle Jr. proclaimed.

"I do beg your pardon. I had no idea that you were here!" Shifu said.

"It is quite alright, Grandmaster." Xian replied. "In fact, it is I who must apologize. I should have given you prior notice."

"Oh no, no need to apologize." Shifu replied.

"You never had that attitude thirty years ago…" Xian muttered under his breath.

"It is a great honor to have you here, your greatness."

"That's what they all say." Xian chuckled.

"If I may…" Shifu hesitated, not hearing Xian's statement. "Why have you taken the trouble to come all the way here? All you had to do was summon us."

"Yes, I had thought of that…" Xian replied. "But the fact is, I haven't been to the Jade Palace for nearly thirty years, and I decided that this would be a perfect opportunity to see the old place again. Also, I hadn't left the imperial palace for nearly as long as that… and the fact is, I  _had_  to get out!"

"Of course, your greatness." Shifu said.

"Could you please stop with the 'your greatness', please?" Xian rolled his eyes light-heartedly. "I used to be your student, for crying out loud."

"He used to train here?" Viper whispered into Shifu's ear.

"Yes, he did." Shifu replied. "He was a very dedicated and talented student during his time here."

"Oh come off it!" Xian laughed. "I think you and I both know that I was the class clown. Of course I was never as good as the likes of Tai Lung, and-"

Xian suddenly stopped as he felt the familiar ache in his heart. He unwillingly looked at Master Tigress again. The young feline frowned as she realized that he was staring at her.

"What's the matter, your highness?" She asked politely.

"Oh, it's nothing." Xian replied, managing to keep his voice even. "I'm sorry, but it's just that you resemble someone I used to know. Don't worry about it."

"Alright." The feline replied, but continued to gaze back with slight suspicion. Xian suddenly had a bad feeling that she was getting the wrong idea.

"No, that is not what I am thinking!"

"I beg your pardon?"

"First off, you are half my age. Second, I have no interest in concubines!"

Tigress looked a little taken aback.

"It's true." Eagle Jr. added bluntly.

"Please calm down, your- Emperor Xian!" Shifu quickly corrected himself. "None of use think that you have any interest in her."

"Oh good." Xian chuckled in relief. "My father always told me that first impressions are important."

Po and the Five raised their eyebrows at the emperor's manner. When they first learned that the emperor wished to meet with them, they had immediately thought of an old wise man akin to the late Master Oogway, or perhaps a stuck up, condescending jerk. Never had they expected this humorous yet humble man who acted half his age and behaved as though he was just a normal person like themselves. In no way did this lower their respect for him.

"Master Shifu, would you care to introduce your students?" Xian asked, still feeling slightly embarrassed from the exchange with Tigress. "I already know their names of course, but I would like to know which is which."

_Judging by their names, that really wasn't that hard. But it pays to know for sure._

"Of course, Emperor." Shifu said. "I would like to introduce Master Tigress…" Tigress stepped forward and bowed.

"So you're Master Tigress." Xian spoke. "Little Zan has told me all about you. By the way, thank you for saving him from those crocs."

"Anything to serve and protect, your highness." Tigress replied.

"This is Master Monkey." Shifu continued to introduce the Five. Monkey stepped forward and bowed, standing by Tigress's left hand side. "Master Mantis… Master Crane… Master Viper… and finally, Master Po, the Dragon Warrior."

"Hey, how's it goin'?" Po grinned. Xian grinned back.

"Po…" Shifu slapped his forehead. "Please remember your manners!"

"It's alright, Shifu." Xian replied. "I'm the emperor, not god!" He turned back to Po. "I am delighted to meet you at last, Dragon Warrior, and that goes to you as well." He glanced at the Five. "Alright, now that we've got the introductions out of the way, lets-"

_Crash!_

Suddenly they heard the sound of clattering metal coming from inside the Hall of Heroes.

"What was that?" Crane asked.

They heard voices coming from within.

"Oiamsorryiamsorryiamsorry, is the armor broken? Oiamsorryiamsorryiamsorry!"

"Wow, Kangie, you made a big mess!" Tigress's ears pricked as she recognized the excited voice of a little gosling named Zan.

"Emperor Xian, is your family in there?" Shifu's ears pricked higher.

"Oh yes." Xian smiled warmly as he gazed at the closed doors. "I know I'm here on business, but the family so wanted to see you all again. Would you like to greet them?"

"Heck, yeah!" Po looked like the annual dumpling eating contest had come early.

"Alright then, if you would like to follow me…" Xian led the way as they approached the doors. Crane and Mantis held back, and leant into towards Eagle Jr.

"Is he always like this?" Crane asked.

"Oh yes." Eagle Jr. replied. "Of course we are all aware that he doesn't behave like the conventional emperor. But he is a powerful and compassionate leader, so no-one really cares."

"You know, there's something that I've always wondered…" Mantis spoke. "How come the royal family consists of different species? I mean, Lu Kang is a water buffalo, Zan and his parents are geese, and Emperor Xian himself is a tiger. What's with that?"

"Oh, you don't know do you?" Eagle Jr. gazed at the two of them. "Emperor Xian has no real family."

"What?" Crane and Mantis stared back. "But…"

"Lu Kang, Zan, and the rest of them are actually surrogates." Eagle Jr. said.

"Surrogates?" Crane inquired.

"Kang's family, Zan's family, and Xian's family have been very close allies for many generations." Eagle Jr. went on. "They all live in the imperial city together. The best way I can explain it is that after Xian's father died, he was left all alone. The members of the other two families then moved into the palace with him to keep him company and watch over him until he was fully ready to become ruler. As time passed, they became so close that they practically became one true family. Their bonds are so strong that people on the outside often mistake them for blood relatives."

"Woah… that's amazing!" Mantis gaped at what he had heard. "So Zan being the emperor's nephew…"

"Emperor Xian's father and Zan's grandmother had been very close, almost like brother and sister. Emperor Xian and Princess Zu Chunhua are the same."

"And Lu Kang being his grandson…"

"Lu Kang's entire family had been killed in a fire when he was a toddler." Crane and Mantis fell silent. "Emperor Xian took him in, and a good thing too, otherwise he would have gone straight to an orphanage. I guess Emperor Xian must have seen something in him, because a few years later, he put him next in line for the throne. Emperor Xian calls him 'grandson' as an affectionate term."

"Well… that certainly explains a lot." Crane said. "Let's join the others."

Emperor Xian and the others had already gone inside, and as Crane, Mantis and Eagle Jr. went forward, they could hear the happy sound of greetings.

While Mantis, Crane and Eagle Jr. had been conversing, the others had entered the Hall of Warriors, where they had found a group of familiar faces gathered around a mass of metal that they soon realized was Master Flying Rhino's armor.

"Tigress!" A five year old Zan had cried out in joy and practically charged into Tigress's arms.

"It's good to see you too, Zan." Tigress smiled happily and embraced the young gosling in return. "It looks like you're a big boy now!"

"Yup! I can count to a hundred now!" Zan beamed as Tigress set him back down on the floor. "And look…"

Before Tigress's eyes, Zan swung his right leg sideways into the air in a lightning maneuver, and landed on the floor without so much as a wobble.

"Wow, Zan," Tigress knelt down and patted Zan on the head, far less awkwardly than when they had last met. "You've mastered the side kick! Well done."

"Uncle Xian taught me!" Zan giggled in delight at Tigress's praise.

"Yes, he has been obsessed with kung fu ever since that fiasco with the croc bandits." Xian bent over to tussle to boy's head feathers. "It seems that you've become a role model of sorts."

"A rail model?" Zan frowned in confusion. "But she's not a fence!"

"No,  _role_  model." Princess Zu Chunhua, Zan's mother, stepped forward with an amused smile and wrapped a wing around her son's shoulders. "I'll explain what that means later."

"Okay! Tigress, do you wanna play checkers?"

"Sure, if your mother is okay with that."

"Mama, can I play with Tigress?"

"Of course you can." Zu Chunhua smiled warmly at her son. "But not right now. We only just got here, and we need to settle accommodation."

"You can sleep in one of the spare rooms in the barracks." Shifu said. "It's the same room Zan slept in while we were looking after him."  
"That would be lovely." The princess said. "Thank you very much."

"Can I play checkers now?" Zan asked as he tugged on his mother's peach colored, flower pattern robe.

"Oh, alright." His mother said.

"Yay! Tigress, let's play!" Zan skipped over to the striped feline.

"Alright, Zan." Tigress smiled at the gosling's excitement. She herself was barely containing her own delight at once again seeing the child who had made her realize that she liked kids after all. "I think the checkers board is in the training hall. Shall we head over there now?"

"Okay!" Zan beamed.

"I think a couple of our students are in there." Tigress said as they walked toward the doors. "Would you like to meet them? They're just a little older than you."

"Okay!"

Tigress took the gosling's wing into her paw as they exited, passing Mantis, Crane and Eagle Jr. as they entered. In the meantime, Zu Chunhua was greeted by Viper and the pair of them immediately started chatting.

Meanwhile, a huge grin cracked on Po's face as he saw Lu Kang, the water buffalo just as clumsy as he was. The grandson of the emperor was too busy fretting over the mess he had made to notice the panda at first. But when he did, his face cracked into an identical large grin.

"Po!" Lu Kang exclaimed.

"Xi'an Po!" Po exclaimed.

"The Dragon Warrior!"

"The awesome clutz!"

The two rushed over to each other and embraced in a guy-style hug.

"It's great to see you again, Po!" Lu Kang said.

"Feeling's mutual! How've you been?"

"Doing great. My kung fu's getting better, but I'm still a novice at not breaking stuff."

"Same here." Po laughed. "I'm guessing that this mess is your handiwork."

"Yeah… so is that broken step over there." He sheepishly pointed at the set of stairs just outside the entrance of the hall of warriors, and Po suddenly realized that a piece was missing. "Just so you know."

"Wait, was it you who cried out a while ago?"  
"Oh yeah. It's a good thing Zan's not the bratty type of kid, or I'd never live it down."

"Where's your emissary? You know, the new guy after Meng Tao."

"Master Eagle Jr.'s the emissary now." Xian spoke up. "And a darned good one at that! Strong, loyal, dependable, brave and honest…"  
"Please, your highness…" Eagle Jr. sighed.

"Oh hush, you know I don't mean a word of it. Di Tan's a good cook, though."

They shared a good laugh at that, but then they heard a cry, and then a frazzled goose wearing a noodle bowl hat burst into the hall.

"Di Tan!" He cried. "Di Tan, I am so sorry! It's you!"

He rushed right over to Di Tan and began kissing his wing.

"I'm you're biggest fan, I swear! If I'd known who you were, I would never have poked you in the chest!"

"Easy there, fellow." Di Tan chuckled and patted Mr. Ping on the back, but was unsuccessful in calming his panic attack. "All is forgiven."

"I am so sorry!" Mr. Ping continued to wail. "I am so, so, so, so…"

"Dad, he said he forgives you." Po took that moment to step in and clap a paw over his father's beak. "Do what he says and settle down."

He waited until the goose's muffled moans died down before letting go.

"Thank you, son…" He mumbled. "So what brings you here, Di Tan? I thought you would still be wandering the country selling your wonderful noodles."

"Everyone seems to think that, don't they?" Di Tan raised an eyebrow. "Actually, I serve as the royal chef."

"Really?" Mr. Ping blinked.

"Oh yes. I have served the emperor for fifty years."

"You must be highly talented to be employed by the royal palace."

"Oh, I'm not that good. Unlike you, I can't make Dragon Warrior Soft Crunch Noodles."  
"Oh, would you like to learn?" Mr. Ping's excitement visibly tripled.

"Oh no, it's a secret family recipe. You should keep it to yourself. Besides, I have my own special recipes."

"Like the Golden Fu Dog Sweet and Sour Noodles!" Mr. Ping exclaimed. "A truly beautiful combination of bittercraft and sugary!"

"Thank you for the compliment." Di Tan said modestly.

As the two gooses began a relatively normal conversation about various noodle dishes, the doors opened again as Tigress and Zan made their return, accompanied by a timid panda cub and a gob-smacked piglet.

"Su? Pong?" Shifu was surprised to see them. "What are you doing here? I told you not to leave the training hall."

"It's alright, Master." Tigress said. "Zan sort of insisted that they come and meet his family."

That was when they saw that Zan had grabbed both Su's and Pong's hands, and had evidently dragged them into the hall.

"That's my mama!" He pointed at Zu Chunhua, who was still talking to Viper and Crane, the latter having joined the conversation slightly against his will. "And that's Lu Kang, my first cousin once removed!" He pointed at Lu Kang. "And that's my uncle Xian!" He pointed at the emperor.

"Hi." Su waved shyly at each of them.

"Hiyah." Pong did the same.

"Children, you should know that this man is the imperial emperor himself." Shifu said. Both children gaped. "Please show respect during his stay here."

"Yes, Master Shifu." Both children bowed.

"It's alright, Master Shifu." Xian said, waving away what the aged red panda had just said. "They are children. I don't think the rules of etiquette should apply to them." Su and Pong gasped as the emperor knelt down to their level. "I am pleased to meet you both. You are both students, correct?"

"Uh… yeah." Su whispered. Pong looked like he was about to faint.

"Well, here's a tip from an old student…" Xian leaned in conspiratorially towards the children. "If you're ever rummaging around in the kitchen and come across a jar of sesame cookies, put it straight back pronto."

"Why?" Su and Pong asked simultaneously.

"Because otherwise Master Shifu will get so mad he will turn into a  _really_  red panda."

"Hey, I heard that!" Shifu exclaimed. As the children looked at him, his face turned bright red in annoyance and embarrassment.

Xian chuckled and stood up as the children burst into giggles. He liked kids. Like Oogway had always used to say, they were the physical embodiment of the world's innocence. That and most of them were pretty adorable to look at.

Then his eyes fell on Master Tigress again. His smile faded as he took in her facial features, which looked so eerily like  _hers_.

 _No, stop this!_  He scolded himself, slipping his paws into his long sleeves so no-one would see them clench into fists.  _Stop staring at her. She's not_ her _._ She _is dead._

"Emperor Xian?"

Xian turned his head to look at Eagle Jr. who had materialized at his side, an imperial messenger goose standing next to him.

"What is it?" Xian asked.

"I have just received a message from the rest of the family." He said. "They should be arriving here by tomorrow."

"Oh good." Xian forced a smile.

Eagle Jr. frowned.  
"Your highness, are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Sorry, my mind was elsewhere."

"Oh. I'm sorry if I disturbed you."

"Don't be. Shall we inform the others?"

"Of course, your highness."

Xian stepped forward, away from the pillar he had been leaning against. The others in the room stopped talking and turned to him when they realized that he wanted their attention.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but I've just received news that the rest of the visitors will be arriving soon." He said.

"More visitors?" Shifu replied.

"That's not a problem, I hope."

"Oh no, it's an honor to host more of your family."

"Who's coming exactly, Emperor Xian?" Monkey asked.

"A ruling family from a neighboring province." Xian replied. "I believe that some of you will remember Princess Mei Li?"

"Mei Li's coming?" A huge smile stretched across Po's face as he remembered the little piglet he had rescued from Qidan king Temutai. "Awesome!"

"Also, Zan, I think you will be pleased to know that your grandmother Haoxin de nushi is also coming."

"Yay!" Zan leapt into the air with joy.

Shifu, meanwhile, dropped his jaw and his staff.

"H-haoxin is c-coming?!" He stammered, his face inexplicably a mask of pure horror. "Surely not?!"

* * *

Meanwhile, in an ancient stone fortress somewhere in the Himalayas, a messenger hawk flapped towards an open window and perched on the stone sill. In the large room, a griffin vulture by the name of Commander-in-Chief Tujiu noticed the hawk, got up from the map table and walked over to the window.

"What's the report?" he asked briskly.

"Another soldier has been found, sir." The hawk said. He suppressed a shudder. "His head has been ripped clean off. Whatever killed him left his weapons behind, but took his helmet."

"Tell the party who found him to say nothing about this to anyone." Tujiu replied. "Bring the body back and put him in storage with the others. Make sure the other soldiers don't see him."

Something very strange was happening here in the Himalayas, something that was frightening the soldiers to distraction. Two weeks after the imperial army had discovered this ancient, derelict building and moved in to investigate, men had been disappearing. So far, twenty men have ventured out to patrol and explore the mountains surrounding the fortress and never came found. Only half of them had been found so far, all dismembered or worse, with weapons or pieces of armor missing, all reappearing in the western area of the mountain. General Tujiu had to find out what was going on and fix it, and fast, before the kung fu warriors the emperor was enlisting to investigate the strange murders arrived and stole all the credit. This morning, two more soldiers had disappeared.

"What is your plan, sir?" the hawk asked.

"Find Colonel Sao." Tijiu said. "Tell him to send out some men to the western part of the mountain. I want to know what the hell is going on out there."

"Yes sir." The hawk flew away from the windowsill and down towards the army camp below.

Tijiu turned away from the window and returned to the map on the table.

In the western area of the Himalayan map, the eleven spots where each body had been found were marked in red.


	5. Princess Haoxin and Master Shih-Tzu

Everyone turned to stare at Master Shifu. Inexplicably, he was quaking, his fists gripping the staff so tightly they could hear the wood creaking slightly.

"H-Haoxin is coming here?" He stammered. "You can't be serious!"

"Dead serious." Xian replied, perplexed by the red panda's reaction. "She has been a close friend of my family's for over half a century. Also, she was very eager to come."  
"Oh gods no!"

"Master Shifu, what's the matter with you?" Po asked, but the red panda was already sprinting towards the doors.

"Zeng!" He yelled. "Zeng, get your feathery tail in here!"

The palace goose flapped in at once.

"Yes, Grandmas-"

"Find the farthest inn in the Valley of Peace, and reserve a room for me!" Shifu shouted, his face a mask of panic. "I must be out of the palace within the hour, do you understand me?!"

"Y-yes, Grandmaster Shifu!" A slightly stunned Zeng flapped back out the doors. Shifu whirled round on his students.

"When she comes, tell her I've gone to JinzhouCity to sort out a family feud and won't be back for months!" He ordered furiously. "If any of you tell her where I am, so help me I will throw you off the top of this mountain, is that clear?!" They quickly nodded their heads. "Right, I will need to pack…"

As Shifu zipped from the building, Po turned with wide eyes to his friends.

"What the heck?" He breathed. "What was that all about?"

"Princess Haoxin and Master Shifu don't really get along." Viper said, looking oddly unsurprised by what had just occurred.

"How do you mean?" Po asked.

"Mr. Ping, why don't we take this time to go and get all the ingredients ready for tomorrow's feast?" Di Tan asked.

"How in the world could I say no to that?" Mr. Ping beamed.

"After that we can pick an assistant chef. The Dragon Warrior seems to have enough on his plate already, what with the emperor himself here."

"A good idea! I think the golden ladle is in the storage room…" The two geese departed the hall of warriors.

"Don't get us wrong, she's a really nice lady." Crane said in the meantime. "But Shifu can't stand her."

"Whenever she visits the palace, there's so such thing as inner peace for him." Monkey added with a small grin. "On each visit, he comes this close to having a stroke!" He raised a hand and brought his index finger and thumb together to demonstrate. Meanwhile, Princess Zu Chunhua began smoothing Zan's slightly ruffled feathers.

"Oh come on!" Po exclaimed. "What could she possibly do to annoy him that much?"

"Well, the best way we can explain is that she always seems to push the wrong buttons for him." Mantis said. "That, and she never gets his name right."

"The last time she visited was about five years ago…" Tigress said. "When Shifu greeted her she called him Master Shih-tzu."

"We've known each other forty five years!" Shifu poked his head through the door at that moment. " _Shih-tzu?_  Really?!" He disappeared again.

"Dang…" Po stared after him. "We'd better stay on our toes while she's here."

"It's not all that bad." Viper spoke up. "Even though she drives Shifu up the wall, she treats Tigress like a princess."

"Don't be daft!" Tigress's pinks turned slightly pink. "She's just a nice woman."

"Says the girl who received silk bed-sheets as a gift the last time Princess Haoxin visited." Mantis chortled. "And was given a new vest for her first winter feast."

"And gets a kiss on both cheeks for every single visit." Monkey added.

"Oh shut up!" Tigress snapped.

"Easy there, Master Tigress." Xian said with a smile. "There's no reason to be embarrassed. Whenever Haoxin takes a liking to someone, she goes out of her way to show it."

"She always gets me a new plushy toy." Lu Kang added. "I've got about six hundred and seventy two so far."

"Heh, I'm definitely looking forward to meeting this woman." Po grinned.

At that moment, Shifu burst back into the room."

"Is she here yet?! Please tell me she's not here yet!"

"We just got the message five minutes ago." Xian rolled his eyes. "It's not even late afternoon."

"Oh right!" Shifu turned to leave, and nearly collided with Zeng.

"Watch where you're going!" He snapped.

"Sorry, Grandmaster Shifu. I received another message while I was traveling to the inn."

"Well, what is it?" Shifu demanded.

Zeng opened the scroll he was holding, cleared his throat, and began to read.

" _Dearest Master Sushi. Most sincere apologies, but we are unable to come tomorrow morning._ "

"What?!" Shifu cried. For a moment his students thought that he was going to knock the goose's lights out. Instead, his frown literally turned upside down as relief filled him. "Oh joy! Oh thank you god! Isn't this wonderful?!" He was practically heaving with happiness as students and royal family alike stared at him.

"So you know, your reservation at the inn has been made…"

"Whatever! Forget about it! I won't be leaving the JadePalace today!" Shifu exclaimed. "And now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to meditate." He began heading for the door again.

"But Grandmaster Shifu, I haven't finished reading the scroll yet…"

"No matter, just read it to my students!"

"But-"

"Go on!" Shifu was centimeters from the door and about to pull it open.

"What does the rest of the message say, Zeng?" Lu Kang asked.

"In a moment, Prince Lu Kang…" Zeng lifted the scroll to his eyes again as Shifu disappeared through the door. " _In fact, we've come earlier than we had expected. We will be seeing you this afternoon. Please give my regards to your darling Tigress. Princess Haoxin de Nushi._ "

"Oh boy…" Po sighed, as they heard a feminine cry of delight come from the other side of the doors.

"Master See-through!" Cried the voice of an elderly woman who in her youth had countless elocution lessons. "It has been too long!"

They heard a muffled grunt as Princess Haoxin threw her arms around the red panda and squeezed hard enough to crack his spine.

"Your highness…" Shifu somehow managed to keep his tone from sounding too shocked as he addressed the elderly woman. "It's an honor to have you here. But I thought you wouldn't be here until tomorrow afternoon."

"Oh, you must have not received our new message yet." Haoxin replied. "Do not get me wrong… I do not place any blame on your messenger goose. We were half way up the stairs when we crossed paths with him. Oh why so long?"

"Yes, it has been a few years since…"

"I mean your mustache. In your line of work, it is bound to get caught on something."

"Right…" Shifu replied with a slight growl. "This is King Meng's family, I presume?"

"Indeed." Said a deep male voice.

"We are honored to have you here as well. The rest of the royal family is inside. Would you like to come in?"

"We would, Grandmaster."

The door creaked open as Shifu led the newly arrived guests into the hall of warriors. Now his students could see the thinly disguised fury in the red panda's expression. His ears were flattened, his eyes were narrowed and he was biting his bottom lip. Entering the room after Shifu was a family of very well dressed pigs. Po didn't recognize the male dressed in a large crown and dark green robes, or the female dressed in purple, but he definitely recognized the little piglet standing between them, wearing a dark colored tiara and a dress colored baby skin pink.

"Princess Mei Li!" He cried out in joy.

"Master Po!" Mei Li squealed in delight and leapt into Po's arms.

"How've you been, princess?" Po asked as he hugged the child. "You're not still whacking servants with that puppet I made you, are you?"

"Nope, I've kinda grown out of that." Mei Li replied. She giggled sheepishly as she remembered her past as a spoiled abusive brat. As he set her back down, Po noticed that she was holding the crudely made panda puppet he had made her during their last meeting.

"I take it these are your parents." He looked up towards to the two adult pigs. "Hey, how's it going?"

"You must be the Dragon Warrior." The male pig, who Po guessed must be King Meng, spoke. "Our daughter has told us all about you."

"Now that we have met you in person, we can finally express our gratitude to you for restoring true peace to our kingdom." His wife smiled warmly.

"Nah, think nothin' of it, I-"

"Darling!"

Po was suddenly interrupted by the cry of the elderly female goose rushing towards Zan and his mother.

She was the oldest goose he had ever seen, her feathers even whiter than Di Tan's. Her dress was a glistening silver decorated with purple lily patterns. Her eyes however, were so deep brown that Po had the impression of a child trapped in an old person's body.

"Grandmamma!" Zan cried out in happiness and ran towards Haoxin. The elder goose scooped him up in her wings and gave him a big hug and a kiss.

"Oh it is so good to see you, my little man!" Haoxin beamed. "And where is your dear mother?"

"I'm right here, mother." Zu Chunhua said with a smile.

"Darling! Come here, you!" Zu Chunhua and her mother embraced. "I am so sorry I have been away so long."

"It's alright, mother." Zu Chunhua said as they separated. "It's good to see you too. If you'll excuse me, I need to put Zan to bed. It's time for his nap."

"Of course, my dear girl." Haoxin replied. "Off you go, and I will see you tonight."

"See you then. Come on, Zan."

"Okay, mama." Zan said as his mother took his wing. "Can I say goodnight to grandmamma and Tigress first?"

"Of course."

"Goodnight, grandmamma." Zan said to Haoxin. Then he turned his head to look at Master Tigress. "Goodnight, Tigress."

"Let's go, Zan." His mother led him past the still seething Shifu and out the building

"Wait, I'll come with you!" Lu Kang called. "I've been travelling all day and I want a rest!" He tripped over the fallen armor as he followed them out.

"Well, good day to you all. I think we will retire as well." Meng said and led his family away. Mei Li waved to Po as they left.

"It is good to see you as well, Lu Kang!" Haoxin watched them go with a sweet smile, and then her brown eyes fell on Tigress. Her smile widened.

"Goodness me, is that you, Tigress?"

Tigress blinked as she realized that the aged goose was addressing her.

"Y-yes, your highness." She said.

"Here we go." Po heard Mantis chortle from Monkey's shoulder.

Haoxin cried out in pure pleasure as she rushed over to the striped feline.

"Hello, my dearest little kitten!" the goose wrapped her wings around Tigress's neck as the feline bent over to bow. "How have you been my little lotus flower?"

Po raised his eyebrows.

"Er… I…" Tigress hesitated.

"No matter, no matter, I am so happy to see you as well! It has been so long! Oh my, your vest looks gorgeous!"

"Th-thank you."

"I got it for her!" Po called out. "Just so you know."

Haoxin turned to look at the panda.

"You must be the Dragon Warrior. Oh you look so adorable in those little pants!"

"R-right." Po blushed in embarrassment.

"And these must be your little friends." Haoxin turned her head again to look as Crane, Monkey, Mantis and Viper. "They all look so darling."

"It's good to see you too, Aunt Haoxin." Xian chuckled.

"Oh, Xian! I am so sorry, I did not notice you over there in the corner!" Haoxin laughed.

"Hey, don't worry about it. Are you ready to hand out the gifts?"

"Gifts?" Po looked up sharply.

"Oh yes, the gifts!" Haoxin exclaimed. "I think that can wait until tomorrow. These boys and girls have a big day tomorrow, and they deserve some rest."

"Boys and girls?" Crane tilted his head indignantly.

"Don't take it personally, she never intentionally insults anyone." Viper whispered to him.

"You deserve some rest too." Shifu spoke up. "Emperor Xian, Princess Haoxin, would you like to retire to the barracks while I speak with my students?"

"Thank you, Grandmaster. We've had a long journey." Xian replied. "Eagle Jr., could you go and make sure the imperial palace servants also have accommodation?"

"Yes, your highness." Eagle Jr. flapped his wings and took off.

"I had better make sure the other Jade Palace servants know that the royal family is here." Zeng said and also departed.

"We will see you tomorrow, my dear Tigress. And you too, Master Tofu." Haoxin smiled as she and Xian also left, leaving only Shifu and his students in the Hall of Warriors.

"The name is  _Shifu_." He snarled under his breath before turning to his students. "Now, before you too retire for the day, there are a few things I need to discuss with you all concerning this latest turn of events."

Po and the Five listened raptly.

"Firstly, since we now have far more guests than we would have expected several of them royalty, we will need to adjust the table arrangements. Crane, I want you and Mantis to take care of this."

"Yes, Master." Crane and Mantis said at once.

"Wait, I thought I was hosting the feast!" Po pouted.

"You are." Shifu replied. "But with the emperor here, it is now more imperative than ever that nothing goes wrong. That is why I want the tasks spread out evenly, both before and during the feast. Anyway… Monkey you can chisel the ice dragon and gather all the dishes for tomorrow night."

"Yes, Master."  
"As for you, Po, you can assist with the cooking once you've presented the golden ladle to your chosen chef."

"Yes, Master." Po grinned at the prospect of spending all day with his father.

"And no Hun Shu Waves of Dismissal this time."

" _Yes_ , Master."

"What about me and Viper, Master?" Tigress asked.

"You can put up the lanterns and decorations." Shifu said. "Once you have done so, I want you both to go down to the tailor in the village."

"Why?" Viper asked in surprise. "What's wrong with the tailor up here?"

"I will explain in a moment…" Shifu cleared his throat. "I know I am stating the obvious, but the emperor himself will be attending this feast."

"And?" Po asked.

"And it is for this reason that you will all require a change in clothing for this feast."

The six warriors stared.

"By that, I mean that you all are to be fully clothed for this feast. And by that, I mean that Po, Crane and Monkey, you are to wear shirts. And Viper and Mantis, you are to wear actual clothing. And Tigress, you are to wear a dress."

Tigress froze.

"A-a dress?" Her mouth fell open slightly. "But Master…"

"No buts, Tigress." Shifu cut her off. "From now on, this feast is no longer a gathering of kung fu masters, but a proper formal party. And I expect it to be treated that way. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Master." His students bowed.

"Good. Now return to your quarters, and I will inform you on your tasks for during the feast tomorrow."

Po and the Five departed the hall of warriors. The sun was setting, the sky tinted with red and orange. In the distance, they saw Mei Li's family disappearing into the barracks.

"Oh my goodness, I get to dress up!" Viper was beaming with delight. "I have been waiting for an opportunity like this since I came to the Jade Palace! Right, once I go to the tailor, I will tell him that I need…"

"Oh brother." Monkey and Mantis rolled their eyes.

Crane, on the other hand, didn't seem as willing to mock her.

"I didn't think that snakes wore clothes, Viper." He said. "No offense."  
"None taken." Viper replied. "Some snakes do wear clothes, but often only in cold climates. We have special coats for those situations."

"The same goes with us bugs." Mantis spoke up. "Hey, Tigress! How do  _you_  feel at the prospect of dressing up? Bet you'd look good with a white face… red lips… blue cheeks…" He smirked.

"Zip it, peanut head." Tigress retorted and increased her walking speed, moving farther ahead than the others.

"Jeez, no need to bite." Mantis muttered.

"Don't tease her, Mantis." Viper scolded.

"I'd better make sure she doesn't go to bed in a bad mood." Po said and hurried off to catch up with Tigress.

"Hey, Tigress, are you alright?" He asked once he'd succeeded. Tigress didn't reply. "Hey, don't listen to what Mantis said. You know he's only joking."

"I'm fine, Po." Tigress looked at him, and Po was surprised to see that she was smiling slightly. He was less surprised when he noticed that her eyes weren't smiling as much. "What he said just brought back memories of my brush with River Fever."

"Really? How come?"

"I'd rather not talk about it." Tigress said quickly. "Let's get to bed. We'll need all the stamina we can get for tomorrow."

"Huh… fine."


	6. Dressing Down

_Dong!_

Su opened her eyes to the sound of the morning bell.

Outside her bedroom door, she heard a rush of wind and the soft thud of opening and shutting doors as the grown ups got out of bed far quicker than she did.

"Good morning master!" She heard them say simultaneously. There was a moment's pause, and then Su heard Master Shifu yell.

"Po! Oh for crying out loud…"

She opened her mouth to yawn then lifted off the covers.

It was a bright sunny day. She could tell from the light seeping through the window and reflecting off the surface of her lucky coin.

As Su got out of bed, she heard a slam as Shifu slammed open the door to Po's room.

"Po! Wake up!"

"Five more minutes…" Po mumbled.

"I will give you five minutes of sparring with me if you do not get out of bed this instant!"

There was a crash as Po practically leapt out of bed.

"Good morning, Master!"

"That's better. Now all of you have your morning meal while I check if the children are awake yet."

Su smoothed down her clothing and headed over to the door. She opened it just as Shifu appeared just outside the doorframe.

"Excellent." Shifu spoke. "Even at less than a third of the Dragon Warrior's age, you have a good sense of punctuality."

"Thank you, Master Shifu." Su smiled slightly.

"I will go check on Pong, and then I want both of you to have breakfast with Po and the Five and then join the other children in the courtyard for tai chi training."

"Okay." Su saluted him.

"Your paws go the other way, Su."

"Okay." Su quickly corrected herself.

"That's better. Now off you go."

Su saluted him again before heading towards the kitchen. She heard the tapping of hooves as Pong rushed to join her.

By the time they'd entered the kitchen, the soup pot Po was stirring in was already steaming. The Furious Five were already sitting around the table.

"Hey, kids." Viper was the first to greet them with a kind smile. "We've saved two seats for you." Su and Pong saw the two empty seats and sat down.

"Is everyone here?" Po asked. "Alright then, I hope your stomachs are empty…"

With the graceful movements of an experienced waiter, Po set down all eight bowls on the table then with a flick of his wrist sent a generous amount of noodle soup flying into each one.

"Not a single spillage." Tigress peered at her bowl as the others began to eat. "You're improving."

"Of course it's all down to my awesome bodacity!" Po grinned like a little kid. The two little kids in the room raised their eyebrows.

"Yeah, and the fact that you're the only one of us who has mastered inner peace so far has nothing to do with it." Tigress smirked.

Po pouted.

"Um… Master Po…" Su hesitated. "Do you think it would be okay for me to write a letter?"

"Sure." Po said. "Why?"

"I want to tell my mommy and daddy about me meeting the emperor."

"Of course you can, honey. What kid wouldn't to tell their parents about that?" Viper grinned. "Tonight before the feast, I'll ask Zeng if he can deliver the letter."

"Thank you!" Su smiled back.

"What does bodacity mean?" Pong asked. Po turned his head to look at the piglet student.

"Oh, it's…"

"Shut up and eat." Monkey mumbled through a full mouth. "Before your noodles get cold."

"Oh, right!" Po quickly grabbed the eighth bowl, his own, and gulped it down. When he set the empty bowl back on the tabletop, he looked like he had sucked a lemon.

"Ugh…" He stuck his tongue out in disgust. "Too late."

"Have you all finished eating?" Shifu entered the kitchen at that very moment.

"Almost, Master, we've-" Crane suddenly noticed the red panda's expression. "Master, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Shifu said shortly. "Before you all leave to begin your respective tasks, Princess Haoxin wishes to give you her gifts now."

"Let me through, Master Sour-food, let me through!" Princess Haoxin de Nushi burst past Shifu and stood before the six warriors and two children. Behind her, three palace geese entered with several small sized boxes.

"I have been waiting all morning for this." Haoxin said sweetly, gazing upon the students. "If you will all sit quietly, I will begin."

"What have you got for us, your highness?" Po asked, his eyes shining with the prospect of receiving a present. Haoxin chuckled at his excitement.

"Since you seem the most eager, you can go first." Haoxin turned round and grabbed the largest box from the first goose. "Here you go."

Po took the box, nodded to her in thanks, and had to resist the urge to tear at it as he opened the box. He pulled out the most awesome silk shirt he had ever seen. It was a pure white with black sleeves embroidered in gold. Stitched on the chest was a shimmering golden dragon.

"Woah…" He gaped in awe. "Awesome! Thank you, your highness, I love it!"

"I knew you would." Haoxin smiled. "Mantis, you are next!"

The bug hopped forward as the elderly goose grabbed the smallest box from the third goose. He cautiously removed the lid and raised his eyebrows as he pulled out a strange brown box shaped object even smaller than himself.

"Pardon me, your highness…" He said. "But I'm not entirely sure what this is."

"It is a little travel pack!" Haoxin beamed. "I made it myself!"

"You what?"

"Haoxin likes to tailor as a hobby." Viper said. "My father told me."

"Oh yes, I remember Great Master Viper." Haoxin said. "He saved my travelling carriage from macaw marauders once."

"Oh, er… thanks for the gift." Mantis said, and slipped the backpack over his back.

"My dear Viper, would you like to come forward?"

"Oh, okay." Viper slithered in front of the group. Haoxin was beaming as she handed the snake a long thin box. Viper undid the ribbon, opened the box, and pulled out what looked like the longest, thinnest sleeping bag they had ever seen.

"That is a winter coat of sorts, specially designed for your species." Haoxin said. "You will be needing it, considering where you are going."

"Huh?" Viper blinked.

"Oh dear, I have said too much!" Haoxin gasped. "Oh well, you will find out soon enough."

"Thank you for this coat, your highness." Viper said as she carefully but it back in the box. "I'm sure I will find this useful."

"Of course, darling. And if your avian friend would like to be next…"

Crane looked very nervous as he stepped forward. Haoxin gave him a perfect square-shaped box. He opened it to reveal a rice hat gilded in gold and silver, the rim covered in sharp steel.

"Holy…" He gingerly pulled it out. "This is some hat."

"The steel is not just for show." There was suddenly a sly glint in Haoxin's brown eye. "If you go outside and throw it like a Frisbee, you will see what I mean."

"Uhhh… okay. Thanks."

"Monkey, you are next." Haoxin gave him a box nearly as long as Viper's. "I do not know what is inside this one. On our way to the Valley of Peace, we passed through Gongmen City. A kung fu master residing there asked me to give this to you."

With a cocked eyebrow Monkey removed the lid, and peered inside the box.

His heart nearly stopped.

Inside the box was a slightly rusted, notched, but still deadly sharp dao sword. Lying by the hilt was a small scroll. Aware that his friends were watching him, Monkey quickly closed the lid.

"Uh, thank you for giving this to me." Monkey said. "Um… is it alright if I take a proper look at this in my room?"

"You may, Monkey. But be quick, you still have an ice dragon to sculpt." Shifu eyed him suspiciously, but stepped aside as Monkey left the kitchen.

In the meantime, Haoxin turned to Su and Pong.

"Hello, my darlings." She beamed at them. "It came to my attention that you are both hardcore Dragon Warrior fans."

"Not me." Su said. "No offense, Master Po."

"None taken."

"I noticed these in passing and I just had to get them for you!" Haoxin pulled out two plushy toys that had a striking resemblance to the red panda standing by the doorway. Su and Pong cried out in joy and hugged the soft dolls.

"Thank you, missus Haoxin!" Su giggled happily.

"Anytime, my lovelies." Haoxin patted both their heads. "Doesn't Sea-food look cute with that big fluffy tail of his?"

A vein ticked in Shifu's temple.

"What about a present for Master Shifu?" Su asked.

"Oh I gave him his earlier." Haoxin said. "A box of bath salts. Oh my, I almost forgot about dear Tigress! Come on, dear. Don't be shy!"

Tigress stepped forward as Haoxin gave her a small box wrapped in a bright red ribbon.

"This is extremely hard to come by." Haoxin said. "I think you will like this."  
Tigress merely nodded as she undid the ribbon, lifted the lid and looked inside.

"Oh my god…"

She pulled out a silver chain necklace that looked like it was long enough to slip over her head. Dangling from said chain was a vivid dark green emerald the size of an egg and the shape of a heart. The light reflected off it sent flashes of green flying around the kitchen as her friends stared at it in pure amazement.

"Wh-what is…" Tigress whispered.

"They call it the Heart of China." Haoxin said. "The largest emerald in the country. It was originally given to Xian's great grandfather, by the king of a neighboring province. It was passed down through the generations until Xian's father had it cut into a heart shape and gave it to me as a birthday present. And now I give it to you."

"But…" Tigress carefully placed the precious gem back in the box. "I shouldn't…"

"It is alright. I already have the country's largest amethyst, largest diamond and largest sapphire. And Oogway's statue has the country's largest ruby. I think a person with a beautiful face and a beautiful soul such as yourself should have the most beautiful jewel of them all."

"Your highness… I…" Tigress found herself blushing. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it, my dear." Haoxin said. "Now I think I have kept you all here long enough. I believe you have a winter feast to prepare."

"Yes, we do." Shifu said. "All of you, put your dirty dishes away and get to work. Po, I believe the golden ladle contest will be ready for you by now."

"Okay, Master Shifu." Po zipped out the door in a flash.

"I will just get out of your way." Haoxin said. "Our family will be in the guest barracks, so call on us if you need anything."

"Yes, your highness." Shifu replied.

"Come on, boys!" Haoxin clapped her wings and the palace geese followed her out.

"We'll get Monkey and get going." Crane said, and he and Mantis also left.

"C'mon, Su, let's go." Pong jumped down from the chair, still clutching his Master Shifu plushy toy.

"Oka- _oh_!"

_Rip!_

"Su?!" Viper hissed in alarm and quickly slithered to the small panda cub, who was clutching her left shoulder.

"Su, are you alright?" Shifu and Tigress also surrounded her in concern.

"Are you hurt?" Tigress asked worriedly.

"No, I'm okay." Su said. "But I caught my sleeve and it's ripped." She removed her paw and they all saw that the sleeve was nearly completely torn off at the seam.

"Su, you can't train with your vest in that state." Viper said. "Your tai chi class will be outside, and you could catch your death of cold!"

"She's right." Tigress said. "Master Shifu, would it be alright for us to go down to the tailor before putting up the decorations instead of after? Then we can get her vest repaired."

"Alright." Shifu replied. "But this means that she will miss her class. Are you willing to work another hour and a half to help her catch up?"

"Yes, Master."

"Then off you go. But do not loiter."

* * *

"That stone looked really pretty, Master Tigress." Su said as they approached the tailor shop in the village below the Jade Palace. "What is it?"

"It's called an emerald." Viper said. "Do you not know what all the different gemstones are?"

"Nu-uh." Su shook her head. "We don't have any gemstones in the village."

"Well you already know that green is an emerald." Viper said. "Red is a ruby. Blue is a sapphire. Clear is a diamond. Orangey yellow is a topaz."

"What about that purple stone I saw Master Crane with a few days ago?" Su asked.

"Purple is an amethyst." Viper said. "Wait, did you say that Crane has a gemstone?"

To her surprise, Su's deep blue eyes suddenly widened, and she clapped her small paws over her mouth.

"Oh no! I promised him I wouldn't tell anyone!"

"Hey, it's okay Su." Tigress knelt down and put a paw on the child's shoulder. "We'll pretend you never said anything. Now let's get our fittings over and done with."  
"You don't look happy, Master Tigress." Su looked up at her. "What's wrong?"  
"She's just annoyed that she has to wear a dress for tonight." Viper chuckled.

"Let's just get this over with!" Tigress scowled as she entered the tailor shop first. Viper and Su looked at each other before going in after her.

"Good morning, Masters Viper and Tigress." The tailor, a middle aged pig with a dark topknot, stepped out from behind a paper screen to greet them. "It is an honor to have you in my shop. What can I do for you two today?"

"We both need more formal clothing for tonight." Viper said. "But first, Su here needs her vest repaired."

"Of course, ladies." The pig bowed to them. "Just wait over there, and I will get her vest fixed immediately."

Viper and Tigress sat down on a pair of stools as Su showed the tailor the tear in her sleeve.

"Hmmm…" The tailor peered intensely at the rip. "This is a very large tear, but won't take long to fix. If you will kindly step behind this screen and remove the vest, I will have it stitched back up in a few minutes."

Su did as she was told and disappeared behind the screen. There was a slight rustle, and then a small black arm poked out clutching the vest. The tailor took the vest, took out a needle and thread from a nearby drawer, and set to work.

There was silence in the shop for a few minutes as Tigress and Viper sat without making conversation, Su waited patiently behind the screen, and the tailor stuck the needle in and out… in and out…

_Click!_

The door suddenly opened, and a small group of people entered the room: Haoxin in front, her daughter Zu Chunhua and grandson Zan, Princess Mei Li, and at the very back was a disgruntled Master Shifu.

"Oh, you are here too!" Haoxin exclaimed happily upon seeing the two women. "I take it you are here for fitting too!"

"Oh yes." Viper said. "We're just waiting until Su's vest is repaired. She tore it in the kitchen."

"What are you all doing here?" Tigress asked.

"There is a huge queue of men waiting for the palace tailor." Haoxin said. "When we heard that there was a tailor down in the village, we thought… 'why not'?"

"And I'm here to watch over them." Shifu said.

"There, all done!" The tailor, looking mildly surprised at having so many customers in her shop, held up Su's newly repaired vest. "Hang on a moment, dear…"

She went behind the screen, and a moment later emerged with Su once again fully dressed.

"Thank you." Su said quietly.

"I'm just doing my job, dear." The tailor smiled at her, then turned to the seven people in front of her. "Now, who's next?"

"Why don't we cut your work in half?" Haoxin asked. "I tailor myself in my spare time, and besides I would much rather have something to do instead of waiting in the corner."

"O-of course, ma'am." The tailor replied.

"Tigress, come with me into the next room, and we will get your dress made." Before Tigress could react, Haoxin put a wing on the feline's lower back and steered her into the second room where the tailor kept her dress-making materials. They were joined a moment later by the tailor, Viper, and Shifu.

"Where is the measuring tape?" Haoxin asked.

"In the third drawer down." The tailor replied as she pulled out another measuring tape from her pocket and began measuring Viper's body.

It wasn't until the measurements were finished and the fabric was pulled out that the four women in the room began making conversation. While Viper and the tailor launched into a conversation concerning the decorations for the winter festival, Haoxin proceeded to tell Tigress all about 'Master Hi-ho's' embarrassing accident when they first met forty five years ago, involving a snapped belt and falling pants. Shifu leant against the wall and looked on in silence, deeply regretting his decision to follow them into the village.

Putting together an outfit for Viper's thin body took a mere ten minutes, and Zu Chunhua was next to be measured. Another twenty minutes after that, Tigress's dress was fully finished.

"Oh my, you look utterly fabulous!" Haoxin clapped her wings together in joy.

"Er, your highness…" Shifu spoke up, his tone managing to disguise the fact that he too was impressed by how she looked. "You've done a wonderful job, but I don't think that color scheme is suitable for the winter-"

"Oh nonsense, Master Jitsu." Haoxin said. Shifu gritted his teeth. "You look marvelous, Tigress! But you had better find something to put over that so it doesn't get dirty before tonight!"

"I will." Tigress replied. "Thank you, your highness."

"Do not mention it, my dear. There's a black kimono over there. You can put that on over the dress." Tigress nodded and went over to the far corner the room. "Alright, Master Sai So. You are next!"

Shifu's ears twitched.

"What?" He asked.

"Come over here and I'll get you measured."

"N-no, your highness. I'm fine!"

"Nonsense. You have not got your outfit yet, and it could be hours before the palace tailor is ready for you. Come over here and I will get you sorted in a jiffy!"

Shifu's shoulders slumped as he walked forward.

The measurements were done quickly and without any trouble, and soon a silken half-finished robe was wrapped around the red panda, with Haoxin busying herself with stitching the back.

"Hold still, Grandmaster." Haoxin said as she pulled out the needle. "I am almost done…"

On the other side of the room, Zu Chunhua admired her new outfit in the mirror then called for Zan. The excited gosling burst into the room and the door collided with the small table. A decorative jar toppled right over and- SMASH!

Haoxin whirled round.

"What was tha-"

"YEOWCH!"

Shifu's roar of pain echoed around the room.

Tigress nearly jumped out of her skin.

She spun round and her eyes widened at the sight of the red panda dancing around on the floor clutching his backside.

"Good gracious!" Haoxin exclaimed. "What is the matter?"

" _You've stuck a needle in my backside!_ " Shifu hollered, his fingers feeling around for the tiny sharp object.

"Oh dear, how on earth did you manage to do that?"

"You-"

"Now, now…" Haoxin put a wing on Shifu's lips, quieting him. "Stay still and I will get it out."

"No, keep away from me!"

Haoxin ignored him, and bent over to get a good look at Shifu's buttocks. The red panda stiffened as she put her wings on his backside, feeling around for the needle.

"Your highness, don't…"

"Hmmm… I cannot see it…" she muttered. "Whereabouts does it hurt?"

"Everywhere!"

"I think it has gone beneath the fabric. Oh dear, you know what that means…"

Shifu went pale.

"Oh no… no…"

Haoxin grabbed a nearby stool and sat down.

"Your highness, no!"

Haoxin grabbed Shifu's arm, and a second later he was draped over her lap, his backside right beneath her chest.

Tigress, Zu Chunhua and the tailor looked on with open mouths.

"Grandmamma, are you going to spank him?" Zan asked with his head tilted in curiosity.

"Of course not, my boy." Haoxin replied. "But that needle has to come out."

Shifu's cheeks turned the color of red chili peppers as Haoxin untied his belt and pulled his brown pants down to his knees.

"Holy…" Zu Chunhua quickly covered her son's eyes.

"My, my…" Haoxin chuckled. "My husband used to have a shapely bottom like that."

Shifu covered his face with his hands in utter mortification.

"Ah, here it is!" Haoxin exclaimed. Shifu winced as she closed her feathered fingertips around the tip of the needle, and pulled it out. "There, that was not so bad now, was it?"

"Noooooo…" Shifu's sarcastic response turned halfway into a snarl.

"Ma'am…" Haoxin turned her head to address the tailor. "Could you bring me the first aid kit? Dear Master Pint-suit has a nasty boo-boo on his left cheek."

"Alright." The tailor was struggling to suppress her laughter as she left the room.

"Can I please put my pants back on now?" Shifu almost begged her.

"Once we have patched up this awful wound in your bottom." Haoxin said.

The door opened again, but instead of the tailor, Viper, Crane, Monkey, Mantis and Po entered the room.

"Master, are you alright?" Crane asked worriedly. "We could hear you screaming all the way from the-"

They all fell silent at the sight of the half-naked red panda draped over the elderly goose's legs.

_Brilliant…_  the horrified Shifu thought as he avoided their stunned gazes.  _Bloody brilliant. Now I have a new worst day of my life._


	7. Fear

"If…  _ow_ … any…  _ow_ … of...  _ow_.. you…  _ow_ … mention…  _ow_ … this…  _ow_ … incident…  _ow_ … ever…  _ow_ … I…  _ow_ … will…  _ow_ … throw…  _ow_ … all…  _ow_ … of…  _ow_ … you…  _ow_ … off…  _ow_ … the…  _ow_ … mountain…  _ow_ … one…  _ow_ … by…  _ow_ … one…  _ow_ … is…  _ow_ … that…  _ow_ … understood?"

"Master Shifu, are you sure you don't want any help climbing these steps?" Viper asked worriedly.

"Very…  _ow_ … very…  _ow_ … sure."

It took all of Po, Monkey and Mantis's combined efforts not to laugh.

Shifu was wincing with every single step as he ascended the stairs with Po, Viper, Monkey, Crane, Su, Zan, Zun Chunhua and Mei Li. Haoxin and Tigress were still in the village, the elder goose keeping Tigress behind for reasons she didn't explain.

The groups' feelings towards Shifu's ordeal ranged from concerned, to sympathetic, to barely disguised amusement. Courtesy of Haoxin, the unfortunate red panda had six layers of bandages covering the tiny needle injury on his backside, making said backside a little bigger than usual. Those of the group who found it amusing had just enough sense not to joke about it. Su, Zan and Mei Li merely stared at Shifu's butt with a child-like wonder. Considering that they wer indeed young children, Shifu chose to tolerate this.

"Master, that needle went all the way to the eye." Crane spoke bravely. "We really think you shouldn't be trying to get up those steps by yourself."  
"I…  _ow_ … am…  _ow_ … a…  _ow_ … kung…  _ow_ … fu…  _ow_ … master…  _ow_ … I…  _ow_.. do…  _ow_ … not…  _ow_ … need…  _ow_ … any…  _ow_ … help!"

Crane saw the very sour expression on Shifu's face when he turned to look at him, and wisely said nothing more.

As they neared the top of the steps, a goose with a noodle bowl shaped hat descended the steps towards them.

"Oh, Po!" Mr. Ping smiled upon seeing his son near the front of the group. "I'm just heading back to my shop."

"Hey, dad." Po replied.

"You'll be pleased to know that the food is ready and waiting on the table for the guests to arrive. It's been an exhausting day though, so I'm going to have a nap the minute I finish sweeping the shop."

"Aren't you having some building work done on the restaurant?"

"I am. I just meant that I'm going to sweep up any mess the builders have left."

"Okay. I'll come and get you before the feast starts." Po replied. "Have a good sleep, dad."

"See you later, Po." Mr. Ping passed the group and continued down the stairs.

Once Po's group reached the top of the stairs and entered the palace arena, Shifu began to speak, one hand massaging his sore bottom.

"The sun is just beginning to set. The masters will be arriving in a few hours, so I want you all to sort out any remaining tasks you need to do, and then change into your outfits and be outside the hall of warriors five minutes before the feast begins. As for you, Po, I am guessing that your father and Di Tan have completed everything you need to do. All you need to do is get dressed and head back down to the village to retrieve Tigress and Princess Haoxin."

"Okay, Master Shifu." Po bowed.

"We'll just go and get ready." Zun Chunhua said. "Come on, children…" She took Zan and Mei Li's hands and led them away.

"Bye, Po." Mei Li waved as they left.

"Bye, Mei Li." Po waved back with a grin. "Right, I'll see you guys later!"

He took off in the direction of the student barracks.

"I'll go too." Monkey added. "I've finished sculpting the ice dragon."

"Take Su with you. Zeng and Pong should already be at the barracks by now." Shifu said.

"Okay. Come on, Su."

"You left your outfit in your room, didn't you?" Po asked as the primate and younger panda caught up with him.

"Yep. You haven't seen it yet, have you?"

"No, but I bet you'll look awesome!"

Monkey chuckled. Even after defeating an evil snow leopard, mastering inner peace, redirecting cannon-fire, braving an ancient temple and battling an undead warrior, Po was still his good old fanboyish self.

When they reached the student barracks, Po and Monkey went to their respective rooms, while Su went down to the very end of the corridor where Zeng and Pong were waiting for her.

When Monkey entered his room and shut the door behind him, he didn't go straight to the outfit laid out neatly on the bed. Instead he knelt down and pulled out from under the bed the box Haoxin had given him.

He lifted the lid an inch, and then hesitated and tilted his head, his raised ear listening for any sign of someone entering the room.

There was no sound other than the creak of floor boards and slight rustle of clothing as Po changed into his brand new outfit.

Monkey turned back to his box and removed the lid.

His eyes unblinking, his mouth a thin slit, Monkey slowly pulled out the aged Dao sword. His breathing became heavy as he ran a thumb over the edge. It was sharp enough to draw blood.

Carefully setting the sword on the bed next to his outfit, Monkey reached into the box and pulled out the little scroll. He unrolled it and reread the contents.

_Dear Monkey._

_This sword was recovered from the Himalayas a few weeks ago during a mission. I apologize if this brings up any bad memories, but I figured your father would have wanted you to have it._

_Please don't think you're the only one who suffered that night. Remember, the commander who was also killed was my brother._

_If there is anything you want to talk about, anything at all, don't forget that I will be visiting the JadePalace soon for the winter feast._

_See you soon._

_Master Boar._

Monkey set the scroll down, and again took the sword into his hands. His fingers stroke the slightly rusted flat of the blade, and his other hand gripped the dull golden hilt tightly. He closed his eyes…

_Commander Shan lay lifeless against the cold cave wall, a stalactite protruding from his chest… an impossibly massive figure covered in dark fur and even darker blood stepped slowly towards the rhino and the terrified young primate…_

And opened them again when he heard the sound of Po stepping into the corridor.

"I'm going to the village! I'll see you later!"

The creaking of the floorboards faded as Po set off down the corridor.

Monkey sighed and placed the sword back in the box. He replaced the lid and pushed the box back under the bed, pushing it all the way to the wall so no-one would see it if they entered the room.

His father's murder had happened a long time ago. Whether his killer was still alive or not, Monkey had to forget.

If only forgetting what had happened that night fifteen years ago was easier done than said…

* * *

Half an hour later, rigged out in a golden rimmed rice hat, the awesome shirt Haoxin had given him, black pants and a golden cape, Po strolled down the main street. The sky was a vivid bright red, the bright yellow sun now touching the tip of the horizon and starting to sink.

As he neared his father's noodle shop, he saw an elderly female goose in a silk robe coming towards him."

"Hey, Princess Haoxin." Po greeted her with a bow. "Are you heading back to the palace?"

"Yes, it is time that I reunite with my family and get dressed." Haoxin replied cheerfully. She beamed when she saw that Po was wearing the shirt. "Oh lovely! I hoped that you would wear that shirt tonight. You look utterly dashing!"

"I really like this shirt, your highness. Thanks again." Po replied. "Where's Tigress?"

"She went into a noodle shop. I believe she is still there."  
"Right, thanks your highness. See you in a bit."

"Of course, my darling!" Haoxin exclaimed as she and Po passed each other.

Po went into the noodle shop, smoothed a crease in his shirt. For the first time in his life, he wanted to look flawless. Perhaps his newly realized feelings for Tigress had something to do with it… the thought sent blood rushing to his cheeks.

Most of the tables and chairs that filled the outdoors eating area were gone, replaced with the scaffolding the builders traversed to reach the roof, where a recent storm had caused severe weather damage. The builders were absent, the wooden poles supporting the structure sending dark shadows stretching over the paving.

Po frowned. The place was empty. A quick glance showed that the kitchen was also empty.

Odd. Haoxin had said that Tigress was in here. So where was she?

"Tigress?" He whispered. He didn't risk raising his voice; his father would probably be having his quick sleep by now. "Tigress, are you here?"

He stepped into the kitchen. All the dishes had been washed, and the stove was dark and unlit.

"Tigress?"

He heard the tiniest creak coming from up the stairs.

Po made his way up the steps as quietly as he could, remembering Shifu's advice to always watch out for enemies, even in the most unlikeliest of places. Feeling a twinge of anxiety, Po stopped by his father's bedroom door, opened the door very slightly, and peeked through the crack.

His father was sleeping in his bed, peaceful and unharmed. And also not making those weird irritating sounds with his beak for once.

Po gave a tiny sigh of relief and shut the door again. He continued up the steps, towards his old bedroom on the top floor.

When he poked his head through the opening in the floor, the first thing he saw was a black lean figure leaning over his bed.

"Hey!"

The figure whirled round, and Po's alarm disappeared as he recognized the orange striped head perched on top of the black body.

"Po!" Tigress gasped, genuinely startled.

"Sorry, I didn't realize it was you." Po said, then paused and listened out for his father. He heard nothing. His father had not been disturbed by Po's exclamation.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have trespassed." Tigress replied.

"What are you doing in here?" Po asked.

"I found your Mantis figure lying in the outdoors area, so I thought I would put it back with the others." Tigress said. Po leaned to the side, and saw that the Mantis figure had indeed been placed next to the other four.

"Hey, thanks." Po said. As he gazed at her, he realized that the black that consumed Tigress's body was a kimono, a loose simple one that didn't even have a different color trim. "Isn't that dress a bit morbid for a winter feast?"

"Oh no, this is just to keep my proper outfit from getting dirty." Tigress said. "My actual dress is underneath.

"Oh…" Po fought the urge to try and look.

"You look pretty good." Tigress said as her eyes took in the shimmering silk shirt and gold cape. "The tailor really outdid himself this time."

"Thanks." Po replied with a small grin. "Why did Haoxin keep you behind?"

"She wanted to put some make up on me." Tigress said. Po raised an eyebrow when he saw no difference in her features. "After nearly an hour, she decided that I didn't need any."

"Good for you." Po grinned. "I mean, it's great that you don't need make up to look pretty."

Tigress blinked and Po blushed furiously as he realized what he had said.

"Er, I mean… I'm saying this as a friend! Being supportive, you know…"  
"It's okay, Po." Tigress smiled and raised a hand to quiet the flustered panda. "I know what you meant. And thank you."

"Anyway…" Po tapped his blunt claws together nervously. "The winter feast is about to start. If you're ready, do you wanna get going?"

To his absolute surprise, rather than nod and lead him out the room like he thought she would, Tigress's smile slipped from her face and she sank down onto the bed.

"Tigress?!" Po was beyond alarmed.

The striped feline didn't answer.

"Tigress, what's the matter?"

When Tigress still did not reply, Po walked over and sat down on the bed beside her. It creaked slightly under their combined weight.

Silence filled the room for some time. The reddish orange of sunset faded into moonlight as the sun went down and night fell.

Po gazed at the feline sitting next to him, her eyes staring at the floor. His own eyes took in her hunched over form. His mind tried to figure out what was going on.

"Tigress…" Po whispered. "I've never seen you act like this before, and I have to say it's freaking me out. What is it?"

For a moment, he expected Tigress to remain silent, but instead she lifted her head to look at him. Po was utterly astonished when he saw an emotion in her eyes he had never, ever seen before: fear.

"I'm not sure I'm ready for this, Po." She said softly.

"What do you mean? You've been to the winter feast loads of times!"

"I'm not talking about the feast, Po." Tigress replied. "I'm talking about  _this_." She gestured to the kimono she was wearing.

"You're not ready to wear a dress?" Po asked. "But there's nothing to wearing a dress!  _I_  wore a dress once!"

"You what?" Tigress's eyes widened.

"Don't ask. It's a long story." Po replied. "Getting back to your issue with dresses…"

"It's not really the dress itself." Tigress said. "It's what the dress represents… are you following?"

"Are you talking about how much pain and labor went into the making of this dress?"

"No."  
"Then I'm not following."

One corner of Tigress's lips curled upwards.

"The point is… I'm not sure I'm ready to be a woman."

Po nearly laughed.

"Are you crazy?" He grinned. "You've been a woman since you were born!"

"Po, for god's sake!" Tigress snapped suddenly, wiping the grin from Po's face. "I'm not a freaking idiot! I know I'm already a woman!"

"Woah, Tigress, I didn't mean it like that!" Po exclaimed. When Tigress continued to glare at him, he began to get worried. "Hey, I'm sorry."

Tigress exhaled audibly.

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have bitten your head off."

When Po didn't answer, she continued to speak.

"The thing is… I've been a woman all my life… but…" Tigress cringed. "… I've never really…  _acted_  like one."

Po shifted himself a little closer to her.

"What's wrong with that?" He asked gently.

"You heard what Shifu said. This is no longer a simple gathering of kung fu masters. The emperor himself is going to be there. That means you can no longer think like a kung fu master."

"But Tigress, we've save China. I'm sure the emperor wouldn't mind you being yourself."

"But I don't feel like myself in this dress." Tigress replied. "It's hard to explain…"

"Well give it a try. I'm all ears."

Tigress took a deep breath.  
"Alright…" She clasped her paws together as she hesitated. "Po, how long have you worn those pants?"

Po looked down at his new black pants.

"Half a day."

"No, sorry, I mean your normal pants. Your patched ones."  
"Oh, those. I've worn them since I was seventeen."

"Well, imagine if one day someone took away the pants which you have been familiar with for as long as you could remember, and replaced them with a flowing silken robe that someone like the emperor would wear."

Po screwed his eyes shut as he tried to picture it.

"What color is this robe?"

"Why?"

"It's so I can imagine it properly."

Tigress rolled her eyes.

"Red."

"Okay…" Po hummed for a few seconds. "There, I have a picture of it in my head. Go on."

"Okay… it's the first time you have ever worn something like this. It's like nothing you've ever worn before. You look nothing like your usual self. You probably didn't even want to wear it in the first place. How does that feel?"

"Kind of…" Po paused, his eyes still shut. "… weird, I guess. Like I'm not even me." He opened his eyes and looked at Tigress again. "Is that how you feel?"

His friend nodded. Then their eyes locked, and for the first time in his life, Po could see the vulnerability in hers. He wondered why he had never noticed before.

"So what you're saying is, that because you're wearing a dress, you don't feel like yourself? You feel that because you're wearing a dress, you have to act more like a woman?"

"Yes."

"Well, if you don't know how to act like a girl, why didn't you ask Viper for some tips? She's a woman and-"

"I couldn't do that tonight." Tigress replied. "Viper has to look after the children of the royal family tonight. And you know what Zan and Mei Li are like, she's have her hands full, if you'll pardon the irony. And I can't talk to the guys about it. Monkey and Mantis are idiots if you think about it…"

"That's kinda true…"

"And Crane comes from a farmer's background. He wouldn't know anything about the behavior of a lady. And Shifu already has enough on his plate between Princess Haoxin and the upcoming meeting with the emperor. I'm basically on my own here. There's no-one at this feast that I can turn to. I'm practically going to be heading to this feast by myself this time."  
She closed her eyes and looked away.

Po stared at the side of her head, his mind reeling from everything Tigress had just told him. His heart throbbed with growing sadness, and when he shifted his arm slightly, one corner of his cape lifted up and onto the bed, just touching Tigress's paw.

Three short words came from his mouth before he could stop himself.

"What about me?"

"What about you what?" Tigress didn't look back at him.

"What if you…"  _No, stop!_ Po's mind screamed at him. "… went to the winter feast…"  _What are you doing?!_  "… with me?"

For a moment, Tigress didn't reply. But then she lifted her head, and looked at him with golden eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Are you asking me out?" She asked.

Po turned a brilliant bright red beneath his fur, and his paws furiously twisted a piece of his cape.

_Uh oh… no turning back now! Just say it, and hope she won't use her claws when she beats you up!_

"Kinda…" He whispered.

Tigress's eyes widened, and she stared at the wall in front of them.

"Wow…" She murmured softly. In the darkness and from his position, Po couldn't see her expression.

Feeling that he had to rectify the situation as fast as possible, Po began to speak rapidly.

"I'm sorry, I was just going off what you said about going to the feast by yourself…"  
"I get it, yeah…" Tigress also began to speak.

"I know I'm a guy but a lot of my dad's customers are ladies…"

"I understand completely…"

"So I understand a little bit about what ladies act like…"  
"You have your father to be with…"

"Nah, he's probably gonna to be fawning over Di Tan all night…"  
"Oh yeah, I forgot about him…"  
"I'm sorry for just asking you like this…"  
"It's fine, it's fine…"

"I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to…"

" _Yes._ "

"You can pummel me at training tomorrow if you want, just please don't use your claws, I beg of-" Po stopped talking suddenly. "Wait, what did you just say?"

Tigress gripped her elbows slightly.

Her orange cheeks turned as red as Po's.

" _Yes_ … I will go to the winter feast with you."


	8. Snow and Blood

Rou, Xue, Gu and the other ten imperial soldiers that General Tujiu had ordered to investigate the western area of the mountain trekked slowly through the foot-deep blanket of snow that covered everything in sight. The group of thirteen soldiers had brought enough weaponry to take out a fifty-man unit, if there was one out here in the white wilderness.

Rou, a stout mountain cat who was used to this environment, tightened his grip on his jian sword out of unease, the double-edged blade glinting in the moonlight along with the pair of daggers dangling from both sides of his hips. The heavy helmet he wore blocked the peripheral vision in the very corners of his eyes, so he was forced to turn his head every now and again for signs of movement in the rocks surrounding them. None so far. But still, Rou could not help but feel that they were being watched. He was unsuccessful in dismissing that thought. Five minutes later, his neck began to ache from the constant turning of his head, and with a hiss of frustration he removed the helmet and tucked it under his arm, freeing his ears. Fortunately no-one told him to put it back on again. As he flicked a bit of snow off the helmet and continued on, Rou thought of his home at Kabuki Crest, situated at the very base of the mountain. He mused how massive this mountain was compared to the crest.

Xue, a komodo dragon far less used to the snowy climate, cursed under his breath as another shiver ran through his body. He proceeded to pull out his own jian sword, kneel down to pluck a small rock from the snow, and start running it down the blade as if hoping that the movement would bring some warmth back into his bones. The grating, scraping sound of the rock sharpening the sword was loud, especially since everything else was silent. No wind blew snow and ice at their faces. The snow did not crunch beneath their feet. The clouds above made no sound as they floated across the sky, threatening to block out the full moon and what little light they had. While briefing the soldiers, Colonel Sao had made it quite clear that they were not to take any torches in case they gave away their positions. That justified the no-light rule enough to keep Xue from opening his mouth to complain. But still, Xue greatly preferred the warmer climate in his home village situated near the Forest of Isolation, where the sky darkened and the rain fell only once every seven days.

Gu, the aged grey heron in charge of commanding the group, turned his head to look back the way they had come. Even in the near-darkness, he could still see the fortress in the distance, the tiny windows lit and occasionally flickering. He turned back to the route ahead, and pressed on, keeping an eye and ear out for signs of an enemy preparing for an ambush. Gu was forty-nine coming on fifty, but his superior had said himself that he was far from losing his touch, a compliment that Gu remembered with a slight smile. Indeed, he was nowhere near retirement. He didn't feel tired, he could still lift three times his own body weight, and every swing of his sword still hit its mark. Suddenly feeling that he needed to prove it, he pulled out one of his daggers and tossed it at a rock ahead of them. It sank perfectly in the crack of the boulder, a perfect hit. Once the group reached the boulder, Gu swiftly removed it with one tug.  _I still have a few years left_ , he thought as he put the knife back in its sheath, and then froze as he heard the tiniest scrape of rock coming from the left.

"Stop!" He hissed to the men behind him. They all stopped dead, the air suddenly thick with apprehension.

"Up left." Gu whispered, a wing reaching for the knife he had thrown seconds earlier. "I thought I heard something."

He heard a clink of metal as the soldiers followed his gaze, staring up at the rock formation staring down at them. The result of a landslide a few weeks back, hundreds of boulders were piled up on top of each other, nestled perfectly in one of the deadly crevices that the soldiers had been repeatedly warned about ever since they had set up camp in the abandoned fortress.

Five seconds passed… ten… fifteen… the soldiers slowly relaxed. Lowered their weapons.

A false alarm.

Maybe.

"Let's keep moving." Gu said. "We're approaching the third site."

To decrease the chances of getting lost in the Himalayan Mountains, the soldiers had spent the first week setting up markers all around the fortress within a two mile radius, for the purpose of guiding a soldier back should they ever get separated from a unit and get lost. After another seven days of finishing the construction of the supply building and securing the fortress, they began sending men out to set up the three mile markers.

That was when it started happening.

Men sent out to set up the markers never returned, and those that eventually did were often found dead. Of course, General Tujiu had been trying to keep word of the murders from getting out, but soon rumors began spreading throughout the fortress and the army camp stationed next to it. Rumors that Gu had previously thought to be just horror stories told to freak out the less courageous soldiers (not that he was once of those said cowards), at least until he himself discovered the eleventh body last morning while patrolling with his unit. He would ever forget the head lying two feet from the neck, the odd fact that the helmet was nowhere to be found…

Colonel Sao had told them that the perpetrator was mostly likely a gang of mountain bandits, judging from the missing items at the scene of every murder, though the only way to know for sure was to venture to every site and conduct a more thorough investigation, or better yet find the bandits' hideout. Gu had dealt with bandits before. Brutal thugs who viewed murder, theft and torture not as crimes, but as hobbies. It was for this reason that Gu had brought his special poisoned knives for this particular mission.

"Sir, I see the marker!" cried a voice behind him.

Gu turned round, followed Rou's pointed finger, and saw the flagpole standing on a raised mound fifteen feet away, the red flag hanging limp in the windless air.

"Right, good work. The area where the body was discovered should be around here somewhere…" Gu said.

"How will we know if we've found it, sir?" Xue asked.

"We were told to mark each spot with the deceased's weapon after the third body was found." Gu said. Right as he said this, he spotted the jian sword sticking up in the air, the blade stuck deep in the earth beneath the snow. "We've done this before at the first two locations. Search for clues to find out what did this. Remember, no-one is to go anywhere alone. Understood?"

The soldiers nodded and spread out.

Rou and Xue headed to the flagpole, having noticed that it was not standing properly upright. Upon close inspection, Rou noted;

"There's blood spatter on the pole." Rou said, taking care to not touch the pole as he stepped closer for a better look.

"Do you think you can figure out what caused it?" Xue asked.

""I come from a long line of trackers, so yes." Rou replied without looking at his comrade. "This particular spatter consists of many tiny dots. Do you get what that means?"

"I don't come from a long line of trackers, so no."  
"It means that this blood was spilled the moment the victim was struck." Rou said. "Remember, the medic said that this particular soldier was killed with a blow to the head. Shattered his skull and sent blood everywhere. There were no other injuries, so I'm guessing that this soldier had been taken by surprise."

"Go on." Rou's detective work always impressed Xue in any situation. "If the soldier was taken by surprise, the sword isn't in the sheath?"

"Remember when we found this guy a few days back?" Rou asked, remembering with a slight chill how their daily patrol ended early upon discovery of the body. "His sword was lying a few feet away from him, clean of blood. I guess that the poor guy barely managed to draw his sword before it was thrown from his hands when the killer struck him."

"Hey!" Gu suddenly shouted from thirty feet away. "Stop talking and start searching!"

"Just tell me the short version." Xue muttered. "What happened here, and how does it help us figure out where these bandits are?"

"Since the body was found several feet from the pole, I think the killing blow sent him flying." Rue said quickly, pausing to blow on his paws which were finally beginning to feel the cold. "Taking into account the lack of evidence of fighting, and the pole being lopsided… I think that the soldier was in the middle of stabbing the marker into the ground when the killer surprised him. The soldier barely had time to draw his sword before the killer struck him. The guy was sent flying."

"Nice thinking there." Xue replied. "What does this have to do with finding the bandits?"

"That's what is worrying me a little…" Rou said. "Remember that this soldier was a gorilla."

"So?"

"So… gorillas are among the toughest animals around." Rou said. "Imagine what kind of strength it would take to kill one with one blow to the head. Even Master Tigress of the Furious Five couldn't do it!"

"Maybe it's an elephant?"

"Elephants prefer colder climates." Rou said.

_So do komodo dragons,_  Xue thought.

"So? I'm a reptile, yet I'm here!"

"But you're a soldier on a mission. You're only going to be here for a little while." Rou replied. "Mountain bandits tend to set up permanent hideouts, unless by chance said hideout is discovered. And an elephant bandit would never set up permanent residence in such a cold place."

"So if an elephant bandit didn't kill him, then what did?" Xue said, getting a prickly feeling at the back of his neck as he slowly began to realize what his comrade was getting at.

"I'm not sure… but whatever it is, it's not a mountain bandit."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it…" Rou glared at Xue. "If these bandits wanted to take stuff, why didn't they take the weapons of the soldiers they killed? Why is always something else, like a piece of armor, or the underclothing?"

"Maybe they have enough weapons."

"Heh, like that would matter to them! And what about how bloody these murders are? Even a mountain bandit couldn't butcher like that! Didn't you see the bodies? All the dismembered limbs had been ripped off by hand!"

"But if it's not a mountain bandit, then why did the colonel tell us that it was?"

"I'm not sure. Either they decided to blame the murders on a mountain bandit…" Rou's eyes narrowed. "Or there's something the colonel and the general aren't telling us."

Xue gulped, just as a large cloud finally drifted over the glowing moon, enshrouding it and casting the soldiers in near-opaque darkness.

_Crunch._

A soft crunch, the unmistakable sound of feet stepping down on snow, came from somewhere nearby and Rou and Xue whirled around, pulling out their swords.

_Crunch. Crunch._

Gu and the other men, nearly invisible in the darkness, stared at the two, slightly confused.

"What is i-" Gu began to speak.

"Hush!" Xue snarled.

The crunching slowed to a stop, from how many feet away they couldn't tell. The soldiers barely breathed. Complete silence and darkness filled the air.

For a moment, nothing went wrong.

And then a scream emanated from the soldier at the very back of the group, a scream that stopped as suddenly as it started.

"And then there were twelve." Rou whispered.

"ATTACK!" Gu hollered and took to the air as his men quickly obeyed and unsheathed their weapons. Rou and Xue leapt down from the raised mound and quickly joined the group, swords raised high. As Gu flew into the air, he caught a quick glimpse through the darkness of something quickly approaching the group. His blood froze as he made out an incredibly tall figure with thick arms and a domed head. And then the figure reached the group and the screaming began.

Gu nearly fell from the sky as he was forced to watch, unable to pull out his knives in fear of hitting his own men. He watched as the figure tore through the group of eleven, slaying all in less than eight seconds. He watched as it sent Rou flying into a boulder with a crunch. Slammed Xue down on the flagpole.

Slowly, Gu's mind kicked back into gear. He wouldn't watch any longer. He had to get back to the fortress and warn the others.

As the figure below finished off the wounded, Gu spun around in the air and took off. His heart thudded against his hollow ribs. His breathing was fast and ragged.

He kept flying. Nothing attacked him.

_So this creature can't jump, huh?_

He turned his head just in time to see the boulder flying at him.


	9. Not Going 'Out'

Po had misheard her.

He must have.

After all, he was just a pudgy panda with a few moves.

Did Tigress, super awesome, super cool defeater of evil, really just say  _yes_  to going out with him?

"Po?" Tigress frowned when Po fell silent. "Are you okay?"

"Ummm..." Po's mouth opened, but all that came out where weird sounds. "Ahhhh..."

"In case you're thinking that you've misheard, I definitely said yes."

Po was sure he'd blacked out for a second after hearing her words.

"Really?" He finally asked in a tiny voice.

His heart started to race... a very loud voice in his head screamed at him to back out before he ruined everything.

"Yes." Tigress chuckled a little at his reaction. Her eyes, though... Po suddenly realized through his shock that her eyes looked just as stunned as he was. "I mean, we've known each other for a while now. I can't see why we can't take a stab at-"

Before he could stop himself, Po panicked.

"Wait, you mean going  _out_?!" Po cried frantically, speaking so fast that his words fused together. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that!"

Tigress blinked.

"Huh?"

"I meant going together as friends!" Po exclaimed. "We are friends, right? I wasn't asking you out on a date, if that was what you thought! I'm so sorry, I must have made you feel so uncomfortable, I'll never do that again, I promise!"

For a moment, Tigress looked bemused. Then she smirked, her eyes narrowing.

"It's okay, Po." she said. "I'm sorry I got you so flustered."

"Nah, don't be..."

"Shall we get going then?" She asked.

"Huh?"

"We have a winter feast to get to."

"Oh, right!" Po chuckled nervously. "Hang on and I'll wake dad..."

He motioned for Tigress to wait on the bed, then slipped out his bedroom. Halfway down the stairs, he stopped and listened.

Once he was sure that Tigress was out of earshot, he slammed his head against the wall.

"What's wrong with me?!" He snarled through clenched teeth as he slammed his head again. "Asking the girl of your dreams out and then pretending that you weren't?! What kind of idiot does that? A black and white and big fat idiot, that's what!" He slammed his head some more. "A-"  _Thump!_  "Big-"  _Thump!_  "Fat-"  _Thump!_ "Idiot!"

Eventually he stopped hurting himself and slumped against the opposite wall.

_It's probably for the best, though..._  he thought once the throbbing in his skull subsided.

Yes, it probably was for the best. After all, aside from being a panda and a tiger respectively, Po and Tigress were polar opposites. On one hand, Po was a pudgy panda who still fell down the thousand stairs every single day and even after achieving inner peace he still had a lot to learn about kung fu. Tigress, on the other hand, was a true master of the art (heck, she could even levitate if she concentrated hard enough!), she was one of the most compassionate people he knew, and in those rare moments when she would smile from the heart... like that day when he defeated Tai Lung...

_God, that smile..._ Po smiled a little himself as he remembered that day.

No, he couldn't risk it.

If they ever went out (and he meant 'out' out), and he managed to screw up, it could ruin their friendship. The friendship Po had worked so hard to forge with his idol after she had hated him so, the friendship that had made Tigress reveal more to Po than Shifu himself would ever know.

No, Po couldn't do it.

There was too much at risk.

Besides, he wasn't exactly sure why he'd done it. Maybe he'd just blurted it out because of a sudden need to ease Tigress's pain after seeing her so afraid. Maybe he'd done it because he was afraid to be going to the feast by himself, just as Tigress was. Or maybe it was just an attempt to take advantage of her vulnerability. That last thought made him feel sickened with himself.

As he stood slumped against the wall halfway down the staircase, Po suddenly realized that it didn't matter why he had asked her out. What really mattered… was that Tigress definitely deserved better.

_Oh well..._  Po sighed deeply, his back slowly sliding down the wall he was leaning against, his heart aching as strongly as his head.  _Dad's sure gonna be disappointed..._

_Dad!_

Po pushed himself away from the wall.

_Oh crap, my ranting didn't wake him up, did it?_

Po rushed down the last few steps leading to his father's room. He pressed his ear to the door. He heard no sound. Breathing a silent sigh of relief, Po opened the door slightly and poked his head through.

"Dad?"

The bed was empty.

"Dad?!"

Po pulled the door fully open and jumped in. He frantically turned his head from side to side, but Mr. Ping was nowhere to be seen.

"Dad, where are you?!" Po cried.

He couldn't have gone upstairs. The stairs didn't lead anywhere up that Po's room, where Tigress currently was. Which meant that he must have gone downstairs, to the kitchen.

_Calm down, Po_ , Po told himself as he descended the stairs.  _Dad probably just wanted to give me and Tigress some private time. No need to get worked up over nothing._

As he neared the bottom of the stairs, Po began to hear a voice very like his father's, only it sounded strange. It was a mumbling sound, and from his position, Po couldn't make out the words. It was almost as if his father was talking in his sleep.

Po reached the bottom of the stairs and entered the kitchen, bending down slightly so his stubby ears wouldn't brush against the ceiling. His heart started to race when he saw that his father wasn't in the kitchen.

He was just beginning to panic again when he glanced through the opening in the wall above the counter and saw a very strange sight.

Mr. Ping was located in the middle of the outdoors eating area, dancing in a very peculiar manner. He was spinning around in circles, swinging a large cleaver over and over in a rapid chopping motion. Now that they were within speaking distance, Po could clearly make out the strange mumbling emanating from the goose's beak.

"Get the onion, Po… customers are hungry…"

Po gave a confused expression. The goose had his back turned to him, and was almost certainly not talking to the panda staring at him.

"Carrots… mushrooms… ginger…"

He leapt on a table and began chopping on the surface, sending splinters flying into the air. Po moved towards the door, fearing that his father would hurt himself.

What was the matter with him, anyway?

He'd never seen his dad act like this before!

Po was about to step through the doorway when Mr. Ping suddenly leapt down from the table and begin spinning on the spot, cleaver flailing wildly in his wing.

"Get back, you evil beets!" He suddenly began speaking clearly, voice thick with determined fury. "Back I say! Back!"

Po gulped. Maybe approaching his father in whatever state he was in wasn't such a good idea.

"Maybe Tigress can help." He whispered, and turned back towards the stairs. She was an experienced warrior who had traveled all over China and probably experience many peculiar things, so perhaps she could shed some light on his father's condition.

As Po turned, his elbow caught a large-size noodle bowl sitting on the very corner of the counter. Po gasped and franticly lunged, but the bowl slipped through his fingers as it toppled over the edge and towards the floor…

A pair of orange and black paws caught the bowl right before it could smash on the stone floor. Po froze, and looked up at Tigress's face. Her eyes were fixed on the bowl she had just saved, her lips pursed in a small 'o' as she carefully lifted the bowl and placed it back on the counter.

"What's go-" she began, but Po shushed her. He then pointed over the counter. Tigress followed his gaze, and her eyes widened at the sight of the goose waving his cleaver in the middle of the restaurant.

"What's happening?" she mouthed.

"I don't know!" Po mouthed back.

"There you are, you reddish purple scoundrels!" Mr. Ping suddenly yelled, turning around unexpectedly to glare over the counter. "Come here so I can expel you from my soup!"

"Uh oh…" Po whispered. He grabbed Tigress by the shoulders and yanked her behind the counter out of sight.

"Come on out and fight like a chewy man!" Mr. Ping cried. "Ha, ha!"

Po and Tigress very cautiously poked their heads over the counter. The goose was staring in their direction, but not directly at the two very alarmed warriors hiding in the kitchen, rather staring at a spot over their heads.

"Po, look at his face." Tigress mouthed.

Po stared at his father, and realized that the goose's expression was utterly blank, though his body was as expressive as it it had been in years.

"What's wrong with him?" Po mouthed worriedly.

"I think he's sleepwalking." Tigress replied.

"What?!"

"Shush!"

Po clapped a paw over his mouth, but all his father did was suddenly rush at the far corner of the restaurant, ululating like a maniac.

"Sleepwalking?" Po mouthed. "But he's never done that before."

"It's been a hectic week for him, what with the building work being done on his shop, and the preparation for the winter feast." Tigress replied. "He probably hasn't had much time for sleep."  
"Aw man..." Po looked at his father sadly. "I wish he'd told me."

"Hiiiiii... YAH!" Mr. Ping suddenly cried and swung his cleaver in an overhead arc, slicing at thin air.

"What on earth is he dreaming about?" Tigress raised an eyebrow at the display. "Is he dreaming about a battle?"

"No..." And this time Po was rolling his eyes. "He's having the noodle dream."

"Po, grab that radish!" Mr. Ping yelled. "He's making a break for it!"

"The noodle dream?" Tigress mouthed.

"Don't ask." was all that Po said.

Mr. Ping began scooping up imaginary vegetables and tossing them into an invisible pot.

"What do we do?" Po asked. "We can't wake him up! That's the worst thing you can do with a sleep walker!'

"That's not actually true." Tigress replied. "It's quite safe to wake him. The only real problem with a sleep walker is trying to keep them from injuring themselves."

Po looked back at his father, who was once again swinging his cleaver at the imaginary vegetables surrounding him.

"You're right, as usual, Tigress..." Po replied quietly. "But the way he's swinging that knife, the chances are we'll get injured ourselves going near him..."

* * *

Shifu was still wincing slightly as he ascended the stairs leading to the Hall of Warrior, dressed in a greyish black robe decorated with silvery white snowflakes held together by a gold clasp. Fortunately he had removed most of his bandages while changing, so his bottom was back to normal size. It still hurt like hell, though.

When he reached the top (finally), he found most of Furious Five waiting for him. Mantis, being a bug, did not have much choice in terms of clothing, so all he had on was a light brown vest with black trim that covered three quarters of his torso. Monkey, meanwhile, was decked out in a white vest decorated with black shuriken emblems and black pants. Viper, meanwhile, was wearing a black bib decorated with a bright red dragon over the part of her body beneath her head. To complete the outfit, she had swapped her white lily decorations for bright red ones, and had even obtained a small black parasol decorated with a dragon like her vest, currently open and bathing her head in the shade. Last but not least, Crane was decked out in a black vest and red pants with silver trim, along with the gold and silver rimmed hat Princess Haoxin had given him.

"Good evening, Master." They saluted the red panda upon seeing him.

"The masters have already arrived." Crane said. "They're waiting inside."

"What about the royal family?" Shifu asked.

"They're on their way here." Monkey said. "Master Eagle was here just now, and asked us to inform you that-"

"The name is Master Eagle  _Junior_." The eagle himself suddenly touched down next to Crane at that very moment. "And his highness has just asked me to come back and inform you that tonight I will leaving on an errand, and will not be back until tomorrow. Until then, he wishes for you to speak directly to me if there are any issues."

"Very well, Master Eagle Jr." Shifu said. "If you are going to meet with the emperor before leaving, please let them know that everything is ready. We are just waiting for him and his family now."

Eagle nodded and flew off. Shifu then turned to Viper.

"Su and Pong are definitely in the barracks, correct?"

"Yes, Master." Viper said. "Zeng is looking after them."

"Do you remember you task for tonight?"

'Yes, Master. I'm to watch over Princess Mei Li and Prince Zan during the feast."

"Good."

For the next two minutes they stood in silence, gazing down the steps as they waited for Emperor Xian and his family.

"Uh, Master Shifu?' Mantis eventually spoke up. "Where are Po and Tigress?"

"Po is busy retrieving her from the village." Shifu replied.

"Oh. It's just that they've been gone a long time." Mantis replied.

Shifu turned round and opened his mouth to assure Mantis, but then realized that his student was right. It usually took roughly twenty minutes to half and hour to descend the stairs (half a minute if you're the Dragon Warrior), and it took nearly the same time to ascend it again. Two hours had passed since Po departed for the village. Even he shouldn't be taking this long.

"You're right." Shifu said. "Crane, go down to the village and find out what's taking them so long. We'll wait here for-"

"Peekaboo!"

Shifu flung his staff in the air in fright when a pair of wings suddenly wrapped around his eyes. Quick as lightning, he ducked out the attacker's grasp, grabbed his staff as it fell back towards the ground spun round to face him.

"Oh dear, did I scare you too much, Master Beetroot?" Haoxin laughed, the fine silk of her purple and gold dress shimmering as her body shuddered from her giggles. Behind her, Emperor Xian emerged in glistening red and gold robes. At his right side were Princess Zu Chunhua and Zan, both dressed in bright orange. On his left were Princess Mei Li and her parents, all dressed in lime green.

Shifu and the Five bowed down in respect as Xian stepped forward.

"Our apologies for our lateness." Xian spoke. "Little Zan had lost his underwear, you see."

Zan giggled near Xian's feet.

"It is so good to see you again, Master Pee-Poo!' Haoxin smiled merrily as the red panda stared at her both in shock and irritation.

"It is good to see you too, your highness..." Shifu replied through a clenched jaw. "Excuse me... but I have to go down to the village for a moment." Crane gave the red panda a look. "The Dragon Warrior and Master Tigress are late."

"Very well." Haoxin replied. "Please give my regards to dear Tigress when you see her."

"I will." Shifu replied. "Crane, you and the others take them inside and wait for my return."

"Yes, Master. Take all the time you need." Crane tilted his head towards Haoxin as he said this. Shifu gave him a furious look before making his way down the stairs.

* * *

"This is ridiculous!" Tigress mouthed furiously. "We're both warriors! Surely we can approach a sleep-walking goose?!"

"But Tigress, he's got a cleaver!" Po gulped as Mr. Ping suddenly swung said cleaver into the opposite edge of the counter they were standing behind.

"For crying out loud..." Tigress gritted her teeth. "We're late enough for the winter feast as it is!"

"I'm not going to the feast until I make sure that my dad isn't going to injure himself!"

"Alright, alright..." Tigress muttered, looking slightly ashamed of herself. "If we could somehow approach him..."

"Not while he's swinging that cleaver around." Po replied. "It's dangerous."

"Fine. Then our only option is to try and wake him up with a loud noise." Tigress mouthed. "The pots and pans surrounding us should do the trick."

"But, Tigress, what if he gets a fright? He could hurt himself!" Po mouthed back.

"Then we have to try and get that cleaver away from him." Tigress replied. "Po, is there anything in this kitchen that we can use?"

"I dunno... wait I have an idea!" Po nearly said out loud. "Tigress, behind you is a pot full of noodle strands. Pick it up and give it to me."

Tigress nodded, and made to turn. Suddenly she stopped and frowned. She reached behind her, seemed to tug at something, then her eyes widened slightly.

"What is it?" Po mouthed.

"I'm stuck!" she mouthed back.

"What do you mean stuck?!"

"There's some kind of hook on the wall behind me. It's caught my belt.'

"Can you get free?"

"Not without tearing it."

Po stifled a moan. Outside, Mr. Ping began leaping across the tables, yelling about carrots.

"You're gonna have to take it off!" He whispered.

"What?!"

"Take it off!"

"Po, Princess Haoxin paid a fortune for this dress! What if it gets filthy?"

"You're her favorite, she can take it!" Po replied. "Now take it off and get the noodle pot!"

Tigress bit her lip, then began untying the belt of the black robe covering her winter feast outfit. Po looked away from her when he heard a sudden crash- in his sleep-walking state, Mr. Ping had just overturned a chair. He glanced at Tigress, then returned to observing his father in concern.

His eyes widened. His concerned expression slackened.

Slowly, he turned his head to face Tigress again.

The black robe was now dangling from the hook it had gotten caught on.

In its place, Tigress was wearing a flowing dress the color of cut emeralds. The silk was so shimmery that the flickering light of a nearby lit candle could be seen reflected on the sleeve of her right arm. The trim and stick-up collar of the dress was a shiny bright silver, almost white, and contrasted brilliantly with the dark green and silver belt wrapped around her slender waist. Circling the rim of the sleeves and the hem of the dress were silver dragons linked together by holding their tails in their claws. Dangling from her neck was the large emerald known as the Heart of China.

The striped feline wearing this dress blushed slightly as Po stared at her open-mouthed. Wringing her paws, she looked up at him, smiling slightly out of nervousness.

"How do I look?" she mouthed.

Very slowly, the corners of Po's mouth began to twitch upwards into a smile.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ping turned back towards the kitchen.

"Taste the cleaver of wrath, you vicious sprout!" The goose cried and flung the cleaver over the counter.

"Waaah!" Po screamed as he turned his head just in time to see the cleaver flying right at him. He lunged forward, making the cleaver miss him by inches and embed itself into the wall, and right into the surprised feline.

* * *

"Po, Tigress, you both had better have a darned good reason for taking this long." Shifu growled under his breath as he neared Dragon Warrior's Noodle and Tofu shop, the source of the sound of a great commotion that Shifu's sensitive had picked up upon reaching the village. As he got closer, he realized that the sounds were more specifically Mr. Ping yelling about villainous vegetables.

He reached the archway that lead into the restaurant, rounded the corner and his eyes widened at the sight of the goose dancing around the outdoors area like a madman.

"Mr. Ping?" Shifu asked. The goose responded by dancing some more. When Shifu saw his blank face and realized what was going on, he stepped forward.

"MR. PING!"

Shifu's shout did the trick. Mr. Ping cried out as he was suddenly shocked into reality. He blinked and stared at his surroundings.

"M-m-Master Shifu?" Mr. Ping stared at the red panda. "What's going on? What am I doing here?"

"Calm down, Mr. Ping." Shifu replied and approached the confused goose. "Head inside and I'll explain everything once I've found Po and Tigre-"

He stopped dead when he looked into the kitchen and saw Po's arms wrapped around a stunned Tigress.

"Po?" Mr. Ping stared in astonishment and Po and Tigress quickly parted. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the feast?" Then he noticed Tigress and the dress she was wearing. "Oh, hello, Tigress. Why, don't you look lovely this evening!"


	10. The Winter Feast Part I

"For the last time, we were  _not_  making out!" Tigress retorted for the eleventh time since she, Po, Mr. Ping and Shifu began ascending the ten thousand stairs.

"Well whatever it was, you had better not let me catch you doing it again!" Shifu growled, then winced again. Ascending was worse than descending when you were suffering from a needle wound to the buttock, something that did little to help Shifu's temper.

"Master, it was an accident!" Tigress resisted the urge to groan in frustration. "As we have explained umpteen times, Mr. Ping, under his sleep-walking trance, flung a cleaver at us. In his attempt to dodge, Po leapt in my direction."

"And my arms wrapping around her was just a reflex." Po added.

"Unlike the last time..." Tigress cast him an aside glance, smirking. Luckily Shifu didn't seem to hear her.

"Anyway..." Po twiddled his thumbs as they walked, his cheeks heating up from Tigress's remark. "How's your butt, Shifu?"

"Shut it, panda." Shifu replied. "You're already in enough trouble."

"Oh, Master Shifu, please don't be too hard on them." Mr. Ping spoke up as he smoothed the creases of the shining red and white robe he had changed into after waking up. "It was my fault they got held up, after all."

"If that was the case, then why didn't you two wake him up?" Shifu asked testily.

"Because we didn't want to startle him while he was holding the cleaver!" Tigress exclaimed in exasperation. "He could have hurt himself."

"It's true." Mr. Ping said.

"Harrumph!" Shifu walked off ahead, fed up with the conversation.

Mr. Ping chuckled sheepishly as he turned his gaze to his two younger companions.

"Speaking of which, I'm awfully sorry that happened, son."

"Hey, don't worry about it, dad." Po replied.

"You were sleep-walking, Mr. Ping." Tigress added gently. "You had no clue what you were doing."

"True... but I do wish I remembered what I had been dreaming about..." Mr. Ping looked up at the night sky wistfully. "Well anyway... oh, Po, you look so adorable in that outfit!" Mr. Ping beamed as Po cringed. "You look like the first action figure you ever made!"

"Dad!" Po gasped, but it was too late; Tigress's interest was already peaked.

"First action figure?" Tigress asked. "You mean the Furious Five weren't the first?"

"Oh no..." Mr. Ping started before Po could stop him. "Once he'd gotten the hang of carving food, dear little Po here made a cute little carving of himself dressed up as a kung fu warrior! It was so cute I made him an apple pie to celebrate!"

"Dad..." Po gritted his teeth.

"Actually, I think I have it here with me!"

"What?!" Po stopped in his tracks, causing his father and Tigress to do the same. "No, Dad, no!"

Mr. Ping didn't seem to hear him as he dug around in the pocket of the apron he was still wearing and pulled out a small wooden object. Po covered his face with his paws and turned away as the goose placed the figure in Tigress's paws. The figure looked almost exactly like Po in his current outfit, with the exception of the cape and gold dragon emblem.

"Isn't it adorable?" Mr. Ping chuckled. Po gritted his teeth harder together as he heard Tigress let out a small laugh as she looked at the figure.

"Po, how old were you when you made this?" She asked.

_Aw man..._  Po didn't turn back around straight away.  _Oh well... it doesn't matter anyway. It's not as if she would ever lose interest in me that she never had in the first place..._

"I was..." Po mumbled as he turned back round to face them. "Sixteen."

"Sixteen?" Tigress repeated. "That was roundabout when the Furious Five got together."

"Yeah." Po muttered, cheeks burning red. "About a couple of months after you became an official kung fu master."  
"Oh yes..." Tigress said as she remembered that day. "I was sixteen at the time."

"You became one of the youngest people to gain the rank of master." Po added. "That day was one of the most awesome days of my life."

"Of  _your_  life?" Tigress raised an eyebrow.

"Er... I mean..." Po suddenly found himself flustered. "Because when I heard the news, I..."

"Tigress, may I have the figure back?" Mr. Ping spoke up at that very moment. "Po might get upset if you get scratches on it!"

"Dad..." Po said for the umpteenth time as Tigress handed back the figure, but Mr. Ping was beginning to enjoy himself as he reminisced about his son's past antics.

"Oh, Po loves his little figurines!" Mr. Ping sighed nostalgically as he put the figure back in his apron pocket. "I remember this lovely little habit that Po has to this day..."  
Po slumped his shoulders, giving up and deciding to try and endure.

"As you probably already know, every year Po visits the Festival of Figurines, always bringing his action figures with him."

"Ah, the 'Fest'." Tigress said. "You mean that ridiculous get-together of geeks?"

"Hey!" Po scowled.

"Anyway, every morning before he leaves for the festival, Po likes to line up his figures and give them a little pep talk." Mr. Ping went on. "He would always talk as if they were going on an actual mission!"  
Po couldn't bring himself to look at Tigress.

"Then he would pretending to be them before packing them in his little box..."

Po pulled his fancy rice hat down over his face.

"And he would always save you for last, and that was when it really started getting cute!"

Po's eyes widened behind the rim of his hat.

"What do you mean by that, Mr. Ping?" Tigress asked.

"Well, when acting as you, he would always pretend that you were shy..." Mr. Ping said. "As if there was something you wanted to tell Po, but couldn't..."

Po clamped a paw over his father's beak quick as lightning.

"HO-HO-KAY!" He said in an unnaturally loud voice, releasing his grip on his father just as quickly. "Times getting on! Whaddya say we get a move on!"

"Yeah, let's pick up the pace." Tigress said, and so they quickened their pace a little more until they caught up with the very disgruntled red panda.

"About time you three caught up!" Shifu scowled. "Come on, we're late!"

The other members of the Furious Five were still waiting outside the Hall of Warriors by the time the foursome made it to the top of the stairs.

"It's about time." Crane said. "Everyone's waiting inside-  _woaaah..._ "

The jaws of Crane, Mantis and Monkey dropped simultaneously at the sight of Tigress in her emerald green dress. Unknown to the others, Viper shot Crane a dirty look as he stared at the striped feline.

"Let's not keep them waiting." Shifu said, and opened the doors.

The layout of the banquet table was almost the same as last year, except the black and silver colors of the furniture and decorations were joined with bright reds, greens and golds that brought a far more cheerful atmosphere to the room. With the exception of the eight chairs reserved for the recently arrived warriors (and chef), the table was packed with kung fu masters and royal family members alike. Emperor Xian was seated in between Princess Haoxin and Di Tan (Mr. Ping nearly fainted upon seeing him). On Haoxin's other side were her daughter and grandson, Princess Zu Chunhua and Prince Zan respectively. On Di Tan's other side were Princess Mei Li and her family, as well as Lu Kang. Taking up the rest of the table were the thirty one kung fu masters, including a certain Master Storming Ox, Master Croc, and a taller than usual boar who could only be Master Boar. Sitting next to one of the empty chairs was Anming, who had earlier accepted Mantis's invitation to attend the feast with him.

"Grandmaster Shifu!" Xian grinned and stood up as they entered the room. "What on earth took you so long?"

"It's a long story, Emperor Xian." Shifu said as he bowed respectfully. "Please let me express my most sincerest apologies for the delay."

"Oh, it is quite alright, Master Retreat." Haoxin waved away the apology. "By the way, how is your bottom?"

"Bottom?" Xian asked curiously.

"It's fine, thank you for asking!" Shifu replied quickly. "Apologies for the delay, all of you. But now we are back, the feast is ready to begin!"

"About time, I'm starving!" Xian exclaimed. "Tell the servants to start bringing the food in!"

Shifu, his students and Mr. Ping took their seats, and within minutes everyone was dining and engaging in pleasant conversation, the band playing sweet, slow paced music in the background.

"Mantis..." Anming whispered, her eyes wide with awe. "Is that tiger over there really the emperor?"

"Yup." Mantis nodded his head in response. Anming gasped.

"What on earth is he doing here?!" Anming stared at Mantis in disbelief. "And what on earth am I doing in his presence?!"

"It's okay, don't freak out." Mantis replied soothingly. "Just pretend he's just a lord or something."

"But he's the emperor!"

"Anming..." Mantis said before kissing her on the cheek. "Relax. It's nothing to do with you, so just sit back and enjoy the feast."

He gave her a reassuring smile. Anming flushed, smiled back, and returned to the tiny dumplings on her plate.

On the other side of Mantis, Monkey and Crane were still staring at Tigress in disbelief.

"Wow..." Monkey murmured with each breath. "I knew she wasn't exactly plain but... wow..."

"Who knew she could clean up so nicely?" Crane muttered.

"Hmph!" Viper gave the two men another dirty look before returning to her lavish meal, her parasol leaning against one chair leg. Crane turned to look at her.

"Are you alright, Viper?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing." Viper said casually, eyes narrowed and tail lashing slightly as she gazed down at her plate. "I just hope you boys aren't going to start fighting over her just because she's got a pretty dress."

"Huh? Oh no! Oh no, no!" Monkey frantically waved his hands in denial. "Never gonna happen! Firstly, she's not my type!"

"Or my species!" Crane butted in.

"If I ever get a girlfriend, it's gotta be a primate!"

"Same here!" Viper gave Crane a look. "Er- I mean a bird!"

"Oh good..." Viper replied and turned away from the two men.

Crane and Monkey both breathed a sigh of relief that they had just escaped embarrassment, but as or Viper, she gazed down at the edge of the table with a downcast expression.

_I take it you're not much interested in snakes then, Crane,_  she thought sadly.

She didn't see Crane smack himself on the forehead with a silver spoon as he realized all too late what he had said.

_Aw man! What the heck did I just say?!_  He moaned mentally.  _Aw man, you birdbrain, now she'll think that I'm unavailable!_

Quietly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the small silver collar decorated with a single circular amethyst slightly smaller than a dumpling. He gazed down at it sadly.

_Dang it... you just had to blow it didn't you..._

"Hey, whatcha got there?"

"Nothing!" Crane quickly whipped the purple gem out of sight before Po could see it. "Nothing illegal!"

Po gave Crane a confused look before turning back to Tigress, with whom he had just finished making conversation with about which technique would be best for taking out a dozen enemies at once (they had eventually settled on the Twelve-Armed-Anenome's-Stinging-Whip).

"So, what exactly happened to Shifu's butt?" He asked with a sly grin.

"That's strictly on a need to know!" Tigress whispered with a slight redness in her striped cheeks.

"Oh come on, you can tell me!"

"No, Po. He'll kill us both if he finds out I told you!"

"Tigress, don't worry. I promise I won't tell anyone else. Not even the other guys."

Tigress glanced at Shifu. The red panda was busy talking to Emperor Xian, so she turned back to Po.

"You see, Princess Haoxin was in the middle of making Shifu's outfit when something startled her." She whispered. "As a result, she ended up sticking a needle into Shifu's backside."

"Yowch!" Po stifled a laugh. "That must've hurt!"

"That wasn't the worst of it." Tigress was beginning to chuckle a little herself. "The needle went beneath the fabric, so Haoxin had to take Shifu's pants off and pull the needle out by hand."

At that, Po began laughing so hard he nearly fell out of his chair. Everyone in the hall stared at him and the band stopped playing as he regained his balance and laughed sheepishly at the attention he had drawn to himself.

"Uhhh... sorry about that." He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Pretty funny joke. Carry on."

Shifu rolled his eyes as he and the others returned to eating and talking and the band resumed the music.

"So that's why he was lying half naked on Haoxin's lap!" He grinned at Shifu, who had his back to the panda. "Dang, that was-" He stopped talking when he realized that Tigress was grimacing.

"Tigress?" His eyes narrowed in concern.

"Huh?" She blinked.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah!" Tigress shook her head and smirked unconvincingly. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

Po peered at Tigress.

"No, seriously. What is it?"

"I told you it's nothing." Tigress muttered, starting to look a little annoyed. "Eat your dinner. We still have five more courses to go."

"Alrighty!" Po's face lit up at once.

However, two courses later, Po looked up from his delicious meal to see Tigress staring down at her knees, her expression sour.

"Tigress?" He asked. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

"Tigress, you're staring at your legs like you wanna chop them off. What's wrong?"

Tigress sighed as she realized that Po wasn't going to let it go this time.

"It's the kung fu masters." She muttered. "They keep staring at me."

Po looked up, and realized that a few of the masters seated around the table were indeed giving her looks. Not only that, they were occasionally whispering in each other's ears, clearly talking about her. Po raised his eyebrows at their odd behavior, then he gave them a look that said 'knock it off or I'm coming over there' before turning back to her.

"Just ignore them, Tigress." He said. "Three more courses and then the dance starts. Then you can head back to the barracks if you want."

"Okay..." Tigress took a deep breath, and Po could clearly see that the stares of the masters were upsetting her. "Okay... um, Po?"

"Yeah?"

"How am I doing as a lady?"

"You're doing great." Po smiled and put a paw on her shoulder. "You don't even need me to teach you how to act. You're doing fine."

"Oh, good. Thank you, Po." Po's heart leapt when she gave him a sincere smile before returning to her meal.

Meanwhile, a few chairs along, Mr. Ping and Di Tan were engaging in animated conversation about the potential of super-extra-stinky tofu on opposite sides of the table, talking so loudly that Shifu had to raise his voice so he could speak to Emperor Xian.

"By the way, your highness..." Shifu said. "You said earlier that you came here on important business! When would be a convenient time to discuss said business?"

Xian suddenly stopped smiling, and motioned Shifu to get up and come over. Shifu did so, passing the three chairs that separated him and the tiger, and hopped up onto the tip of his staff, perfectly balanced so that the emperor didn't have to bend down to far as he leaned in towards Shifu's ear.

"Tonight, after the feast, while everyone is dancing."

"There is an empty room to the right of the Hall of Warriors." Shifu said. "We can talk in there. Should I bring my students?"

"No, let them enjoy themselves. You can brief them tomorrow morning."

"Very well."

Xian straightened and put a smile back on his face when he saw a batch of servants approaching the table with new dishes.

"Oh my, six courses down and one more to go! My, how time flies!"  
"Yes..." Shifu muttered as he returned to his seat.

Sooner rather than later, the final course came and went, and then everyone was getting up from the table and heading towards the other half of the hall, where the artifacts had been safely stored away and the floor was freshly polished. Within minutes, the dance, a new addition to the winter festival after they got rid of out of date tradition, was underway.

"Oh, Master Crane!" Haoxin excused herself as Zu Chunhua played with her son Zan and strode up to Crane, Monkey, Mantis and Anming who were standing in one corner of the hall. "Have you tried out your new hat, yet?"  
"Er, no." Crane replied sheepishly. "I haven't got round to it, yet."

"Well, why don't you try it now?"

"What?" Crane looked nervously around at the guests filling the room. His gaze lingered on Mr. Ping and Di Tan, still engaged in food-related discussion. "Are you sure about that?"

"I don't mean in  _here_ , silly!" Haoxin laughed. "Why don't you go outside and throw it at a pillar or something?"

"Oh, okay..."

"Grandmamma!" Little Zan called.

"I'm coming, dear!" Haoxin called back. "If you'll excuse me..."

Crane felt uneasy as he and his friends stepped out of the hall and onto the paving separating the entrance and the top of the stairs.

"Right, so how exactly are you supposed to use this?" Monkey gestured to the metal rimmed hat the avian was wearing.

"Princess Haoxin said to throw it like a frisbee." Crane said as he took it off. He was surprised when he realized that it had almost no weight.

"Well, let's throw it at that pillar over there and see what it can do!" Mantis said, strangely smiling as Crane gulped.

"Be careful, Crane." Anming said worriedly as Crane turned towards the pillar Mantis was pointing at.

After a moment's hesitation, he threw.

_Shwing!_

The hat cut right through the pillar, leaving a thin pale ring where it had sliced clean through, then moved on through the pillar behind it... and the pillar behind it... and finally embedded itself eight inches into the fourth pillar along.

Crane's eyes bulged as he saw what he had done. His friends stood equally shocked.

"Wooooaaaah..." Monkey gaped in awe as he stepped forward and effortlessly pulled the hat free and handed it back to the stunned avian. "Do that again!"

"No, I shouldn't!" Crane said.

"Oh go on, that was so cool!" Mantis exclaimed.

"Guys, I don't think you realize that I have just damaged four pillars that support the Jade Palace!" Crane now looked absolutely terrified."Shifu's gonna kill us!"

The awed grins vanished from their faces.

"Oh crud..." Monkey whispered.

"Oh man..." Mantis was shaking.

"Where's the cement?" Anming asked.

_BAM._

For a moment they thought it was Shifu bursting through the doors, and they jumped, terror briefly overcoming them. Another moment later, they realized that it was in fact Tigress, storming out the hall with a furious expression.

"Tigress!" Po followed her out a moment later.

"I'm sorry, Po, but I can't do this anymore!" She snapped and headed for the path leading to the student barracks.

"Tigress!"

Tigress ignored him, striding straight past the confused Crane and his friends without so much as a glance, up the path, eventually reaching the barracks. Po caught up with her and grabbed her arm just as she was heading through the door.

"Get off me, Po!" Tigress turned on him furiously.

"Tigress, calm down!" Po kept a firm grip on her arm, but not so hard so as to cause cause her pain. He didn't want her to leave, but he didn't want to hurt her either. "You're overreacting!'

"I knew coming to the feast was a mistake!" Tigress clenched her fists. "Those people have done nothing but stare at me ever since I came into the room!"

"Why is that such a big issue for you?" Po asked.

"Because they're probably thinking how ridiculous I look in this stupid dress!"

"Tigress, you don't know that. And please keep your voice to a minimum. You might wake up Su and Pong."

"You're right... I'm sorry..." Tigress took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Okay, let's start again." Po released his grip on her arm. "Tigress, you don't know that they're staring at you because you look ridiculous."

"Then why else would they be looking at me like that?" Tigress demanded. "They've never done it before, so why would they start now? Because I'm wearing a dress, that's why."

Po didn't reply right away.

"Tigress, I think you might be getting the wrong idea." He said. "I don't they're staring at you because the dress makes you look stupid."

"Is it because the dress makes me look fat?" Tigress asked. Po smirked a little as he realized that she was joking. That was good. It meant that she was starting to feel a little better.

"No..." Po said. "I think it's because the dress makes you look..." Suddenly Po cut off mid-sentence. The blood rushed to his cheeks, and he began twiddling his thumbs again.

"B-because..." He stammered. "It m-makes you l-look..."

"Awesome?" Tigress gave him a half-smile.

"Well, t-that too..." Po replied. "But that's n-n-not what I was gonna s-say..."

"Well spit it out. I'm a little tired." Tigress turned back towards the barrack doors.

"It m-makes you look..." Po shut his eyes. " _Beautiful_."

When he opened his eyes again, Tigress had frozen. Her back was to him, so he couldn't see her expression. One paw was resting on the doorframe.

"T-Tigress?" He asked tentatively.

She didn't answer. He started to get worried.

"Tigress, I'm just saying what I think is the reason those guys were staring at you." He said, instinctively taking a step backwards. "Not that I don't think you're pretty, uh..." He gulped when Tigress turned back to face him, her eyes wide with surprise.

He closed his eyes.

"Go ahead." He said.

"You..." Tigress whispered. "You think I'm pretty?"

Having had been expecting a slap, Po opened his eyes in surprise.

"Uh... yeah." He said. "I mean, who wouldn't?"

"Well... some people wouldn't..." Tigress looked away. "I should get some sleep."

"Wait, what about the dance?" Po said. "Don't you want to go back for that?"

"No. Like I said, I'm pretty tired." Tigress stepped towards the door. "Besides, I can't dance."

"Wait!" Po lashed out and grabbed her paw. He didn't know why he did it. Maybe it was because he didn't want her to be alone while everyone else were enjoying themselves. Or maybe it was because he thought he saw tears welling up in her golden eyes. "How about a drink."

"Huh?" Tigress looked at him in confusion.

"Why don't we have some tea before you head to bed. In the kitchen. My treat. I can't really dance either."

"Uhhh..." Tigress paused. Then she gave him a tiny smile. "Sure. Why not?"


	11. The Winter Feast Part II

Even though the party was in full swing, the atmosphere was far less jolly in the adjoining storeroom which Shifu and Emperor Xian were currently stepping into.

"I apologize for not bringing you to a more comfortable room to talk..." Shifu said. "But the walls are very thick here, practically soundproof. There is little chance of us being eavesdropped here."

"And if anyone tries to, you'd know about it, huh?" Xian lifted a claw to point at Shifu's ears and chuckled.

Shifu chose not to respond to that, instead shutting the door. Instantaneously, the band music was cut off, and silence filled the storeroom.

"There are a few spare chairs in the corner." Said Shifu. "Allow me..."

In seconds, the red panda and the tiger were sitting opposite each other in the small room, a single lantern dangling above their heads.

"So, what are your reasons for arranging this meeting?" Shifu asked.

"In a moment, Shifu." Xian said. "My emissary hasn't arrived yet."

"Of course..." Shifu replied. "Uh, speaking of emissaries, what happened after your old emissary was uncovered as a traitor?"

"What do you think? We put him in prison where he belonged."

"Were you alright with that? I mean, from what I heard Meng Tao had been one of your most trusted servants."

"Oh I wouldn't say trusted..."

"Really? You did send him along with your grandson to our camp. Did you remember? We needed to train and test Lu Kang to see if he was worthy of claiming the throne one day..."

Shifu frowned when he saw a devious look in Xian's eye.

"What?"

Xian chuckled.

"Oh dear, I've said too much... oh well, you would have found out eventually..."

He leaned in, gesturing for Shifu to do the same.

"Don't reveal this to anyone, but Meng Tao  _was_  the test."

Shifu stared at the emperor.

"Excuse me?"

"You see, I had already been aware of Meng Tao's treachery even before the incident." Xian explained. "Of course I didn't have any proof, and if Meng Tao turned out to be truly loyal then I would end up being the bad guy. So I decided to send him with Lu Kang to your training camp."

"Why would you do that?!" Shifu exclaimed.

"You see, if-" Xian was interrupted when the door opened and Master Eagle Jr. entered the room.

"My apologies for my lateness, your highness, but I was just debriefing the traveling party."

"Quite alright. I was just telling Shifu about the little scheme we pulled with Meng Tao and Lu Kang. Why don't you finish for me and I'll finish this cup of wine?"

"Yes, your excellency." Eagle Jr. smiled a little as he turned to Shifu. "You see, if Meng Tao was indeed a traitor, then Lu Kang would probably find out soon enough. And then by defeating him, he would have not only proved his worth, but gained his confidence and exposed Meng Tao for the backstabber he is."

"Two birds with one arrow!" Xian laughed. "If you'll pardon the pun."

"Ah, I get it all the time." Eagle Jr. replied.

"I see..." Shifu said sourly. "So I and my students were just pawns..."

"Pretty much."

"Right... and we weren't going to be beheaded after all?"

"Who said anything about beheading?!" Xian straightened up in his chair.

"Meng Tao had said..."

"Shifu, my old master, did you really forget about me abolishing the death penalty two weeks after my coronation?"

"Uh..."  
"Oh dear... a senior moment perhaps?"  
"You haven't changed since you were a teenager, have you?"

Xian laughed again before turning to Eagle Jr.

"Why the long face, Master Eagle?"

"Uh, your highness, I just received an update on the situation..."

The grin on Xian's face vanished.

"Well, what's the report?" He asked.

Eagle Jr. walked over to the emperor and whispered in his ear. The tiger's face turned pale.

"Thank you, Master Eagle." He said quietly as the eagle stepped away. "Right, Master Shifu, it's time to get down to business..."

Shifu felt a slight surprise at the tiger's current expression. A minute ago, he had been his typical humorous self. Now he looked like his favorite uncle had just died. Shifu sat straight-backed in his chair, listening raptly as Xian began to speak.

"There is a fortress, deep in the Himalayan Mountains." Xian began. "I don't know the exact details, but some time ago, the fortress was discovered by a group of soldiers. You'd probably remember that a warlord had once hidden in the mountains. The warlord was eventually captured, but we never found his hideout. Of course, when this fortress was found, we immediately suspected that this may have been the said hideout. A large group of soldiers stormed the site, but it turned out to be a derelict. Commander-in-Chief Tujiu had the bright idea to take control and refurbish the fortress for our own purposes. He and over a thousand men have been stationed there ever since."

"So what do you need us for?" Shifu asked.

"Well, a few weeks ago, something strange has started happening there." Xian went on. "According to the reports, soldiers have been disappearing, and coming back as corpses."

"Inside the fortress?" Shifu raised a bushy white eyebrow. "How come the culprit hasn't been caught yet?"

"Because it's not happening inside the fortress." Eagle Jr. said. "It's happening in the mountains surrounding the site. Just a few minutes ago I received word that a group of nearly a dozen soldiers ventured out on patrol and never came back."

Shifu suppressed a shudder at the unpleasant image that flashed through his head.

"General Tujiu insists that the culprits are mountain bandits, but we're not so sure." Xian said. "Several of the victims were gorillas, for crying out loud."

"If the soldiers are dying, then why not have them evacuate the site?" Shifu asked.

"I've sent frequent orders to the fortress, but that feathery fool hasn't budged an inch!" Xian snapped suddenly. "Either he's ignoring me or whatever is doing this is intercepting the messages! He insists that he can handle this, but I'm having my doubts. Those soldiers need all the help they can get. And that is why I've come to you."

"So you want us to go over there ourselves, find out what's going on, and stop it." Shifu said.

"Not just stop it." Xian said. "Make sure no-one else dies."

"Understood." Shifu said. "When do you want us to leave?"

"I was originally intending for us to go in a couple of days, but after what Eagle Jr. has told me, I think it's best if we go first thing in the morning."

Shifu blinked.

" _We?_ "

Xian gazed at him with intense tea-colored eyes.

"This could be an extremely dangerous mission." Shifu said sternly. "It would be unwise for you to come along."

"Master Shifu..." Xian stood up from his chair. "Nearly fifty soldiers are dead. I owe it to their families to personally make sure that whoever murdered them is brought to justice."

"You have no responsibility for the deaths of those men."

"It may have been the general's idea to take over the site, but if I hadn't authorized it, this never would have happened!" Xian retorted. "I have to take some responsibility for what has happened!"

Shifu opened his mouth to reply, but then stopped. He had been through this before when Xian had been child under his tutelage. Whenever Xian made up his mind, not even Master Oogway could change it.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked. "You are the leader of the country. What if something happened to you?"

He was answered with a striped fist flying towards his face.

Shifu blocked it with both forearms, ducked beneath Xian's arm, and leapt up towards the tiger's chest, foot raised to strike. Xian stepped backwards, grabbed Shifu's leg in mid-air, pulled him down to earth and pinned him with his other paw.

Shifu slapped the paw away with one hand and somersaulted backwards. He landed with both feet on the floor, just in time to see Xian flying at him.

Before the red panda could react, a thin short knife was at his throat, completely immobilizing him.

Shifu chuckled as Xian lowered the knife and straightened up back into a regal pose.

"As you can see, I can take care of myself." Xian replied and slipped the knife back into his sleeve. Eagle Jr. had not moved once during the entire event.

"I see..." Shifu retrieved the staff he had dropped during the brief fight. "I'm sorry I doubted you. As your old teacher, I should have known better."

"And besides, if I come to the fortress personally, then Tujiu would have no choice but to evacuate the soldiers." Xian replied. "Even he can't disobey a direct order from the emperor himself."

"You're right." Shifu said. "Clearly the soldiers are no match for whatever is behind all this, so it's best that they're out of harm's way." He righted his chair, which had been upturned in the struggle. "Have you told me everything?"

"Yes." Xian said. "You know, you can wait until tomorrow morning to tell your student what I've just told you. Goodness knows they could do with a little fun around here."

"If you're talking about that time when I refused to let you and your fellow students visit the winter festival, then message received." Shifu scowled.

Xian smirked as Shifu politely excused himself from the room.

Then he turned to Eagle Jr. with a far less amused expression.

"Head to the fortress and tell the general that we will be there in a couple of weeks."

"Yes sir." Eagle bowed.

"Oh, and tell him in my exact words that his brilliant idea to keep sending soldiers outside the fortress has probably made the situation ten times worse. I sure hope he's happy."

"Understood. Do you wish me to escort you back to the party?"

"No thank you. I want that idiot to get my message asap."

"Understood."

Eagle departed the storeroom, leaving the emperor alone with his troubled thoughts.

* * *

Tigress stifled a yawn as she and Po stepped into the kitchen. While the room was near pitch black due to lack of lights, it was not quite silent: the sound of the band's music could be heard, even all the way from the Hall of Warriors.

"Watch your step, Tigress..." Po said, taking care to keep his voice down so as not to wake young Su and Pong, who had surely fallen asleep by now in their respective bedrooms. "It's super dark in here... ow!"

"Hush!" Tigress shushed him after she heard a thud and a clatter. "Are you okay?"

"Stubbed my toe on the table leg. Sorry about that."

"There should be some spare lanterns on the bench to your right."

"Okay, okay... just let me wait until my little piggie who stays home stops throbbing..."

A few moments later, there was the sound of rustling paper as Po sought out and eventually located the lanterns.

"Oh darn. I can't find any matches."

"There should be some in the cupboard above your head."

"What cup-"  _Thud!_  "Yow!"

"Oh for the love of..." Tigress, who had better night vision than the panda currently rubbing his sore skull, 'gently' pushed him aside and acquired the matches from the already open cupboard. A minute later, the kitchen was partially lit with red and gold lanterns, the blending colors giving a lovely atmosphere to their surroundings.

"Awesome, now we can see!" Po said once the aching in his head had dulled somewhat. "So, Tigress, what tea do you like best?"

"What's available?" Tigress asked as she sat down at the table.

Po rummaged through the bottom cupboard and came up with several jars.

"Nearly every kind of tea you can imagine." He said. "We've got green tea, yellow tea, black tea, white tea, jasmine tea and oolong tea."

His please grin faded when Tigress didn't reply.

"What's wrong? Do you not like any of these teas?"

"Oh, its not that." Tigress said, rather shyly Po noted. "It's just that I've never tried any of them before. That's going to make it hard to pick one."

"Well what teas have you had?" as Po asked this, he procured a pair of teacups as well as a teapot from the cupboard next to the one he had bumped his head on.

"Medicinal tea." his friend replied.

"Oh..."

"Hey, Po. Which tea do you personally suggest?" Tigress asked.

"I dunno..." Po said as he pushed some firewood into the stove. "They're all pretty tasty..." his eyes widened as he suddenly came up with an idea. "Hey, Tigress. How about I get the rest of the cups out and you can try all the teas?"

"What? Po, there's no way I can drink five or six cups of tea."

"You don't have to." Po smiled warmly at her, the kind of smile he gave whenever he had come up with an idea that wasn't illogical or crazy. "You can take a sip, and if you don't like it, I can have it."

"And if I don't like any of them?" Tigress raised an eyebrow.

"Then someone, and by someone I mean me, is gonna be spending more time peeing than sleeping tonight, aren't they?" Po replied with a chuckle.

Tigress smiled a little at that remark. Po smiled back, elated that she looked like she was feeling better, for that was why he had invited her to this late night tea party: to put a smile back on her lovely face.

"Alright then." Tigress sighed. "Get the kettle on."

Po turned back to the stove and lit it. As he filled the kettle with fresh water, he began humming a tune. Tigress didn't recognize the tune, but there was a rhythm to it, a moderately placed rhythm that made her keep smiling. After a while, she asked;

"What are you humming?"

Po suddenly looked startled, as if he hadn't realized that she could hear him.

"Ah! Ugh, uh... just this little song I made up while I was cooking the feast." he mumbled. "I'll shut up if you want."

"Are there any lyrics?" She asked.

"Why do you want to know?" He asked suspiciously. "You're not gonna make fun of me, are you?"

"No, I won't."

"Alright..." Po stilled looked unsure as he set the kettle on the stove. He stood up straight, cleared his throat, and began singing quietly.

" _I'm hostin' the feast, toastin' the feast,_

_I'm going to be doin' the feast!_

_Servin' it up, right in your cup,_

_making a feast to remember!_

_I've never hosted, hosted a feast before,_

_that won't stop me from servin' some boar!_

_Fried boar..._ "

He faltered when he heard a foreign sound.

" _On the side boar..._ "

Po looked back at the table, and realized with a flip-flop sensation in his ample gut that the sound was Tigress giggling.

Not a smirk. Not a sarcastic chuckle. A genuine laugh full of humor and pleasure.

"T-Tigress?" He stammered.

"I'm sorry." Tigress managed to utter between giggles. "I'm... ha, ha... I'm just wondering what Master Boar would say if he ever heard you singing that."

"Oh yeah..." Po chuckled uneasily. He was about to say more, when he was distracted by the whistling of steam streaming from the kettle. "Why don't we start with black tea?"

"Okay, why not?" Tigress held out the cup, already filled with the tea, and held it steady as Po carefully poured in the boiling water. She waited a few moments as it cooled down slightly, then took a small sip.

"What do you think?"

"Hmmm..." Tigress paused as the tea ran over her tongue. "A bit bitter for my taste."

"Yeah, I consider it the least favorite myself." Po said before taking a sip himself so the cup wouldn't go entirely to waste. "Okay, you pick the next one."

"Okay... how about oolong?"

"Okay, give me a sec to pour..."

A minute later, both Po and Tigress were grimacing: the oolong had been twice as bitter as the black tea.

"Ugh..." Po shuddered. "Guess I left it steep too long..."

"Why don't we try green tea next?" Tigress asked.

"Okay, but let's taste it with honey..."

Tigress allowed Po to pour the tea again and raised the cup to her lips.

"Mmmm..." She smiled and savored the silky taste. "I like this one."

"Yeah, honey works wonders." Po said cheerfully. "Heck, you can even lubricate handcuffs with them!"

They shared a good laugh at that.

As Po, chortled, his eyes took in Tigress's happy smile partially covered by her raised paw, her eyes shining brighter than usual, her shimmering green dress... in that moment, he realized that tonight that just become the best winter feast ever. And all because he had finally made her laugh from the heart.

As he sat there, watching her take another sip of the delicious green tea and honey combination, it suddenly occurred to him that now may be the perfect time to truly impress her.

"Hey, Tigress. Do you remember the Golden Emperor's Fu Dog Frenzy?"

"You mean that made up move you came up with to 'distract the enemy'?" Tigress asked with another amused smile that made Po's heart skip a beat.

"Yeah, that." the panda replied. "Well, some time ago it occurred to me that I could make it into an actual kung fu move. So in my spare time I've been practicing with ropes and noodle strands to try to apply them in combat."

"Really?" Tigress leaned forward over the table, genuinely interested. "How far have your gotten?"  
"I'm getting there, I guess..." Po said. "I've gotten so far that I can wield two ropes at once, though two ropes isn't really what you would call a frenzy. Would you like to see?"

"I'd love to, Po."

Po grinned as he quickly stepped out the kitchen, quietly retrieved a pair of ropes from his bedroom, and came back.

"I suggest you move to one side of the room." He said. Once Tigress did as she was told, her gorgeous dress swishing behind her, Po took a deep breath.

Then he lashed out with the rope in his right paw.

Just like a noodle strand had done during his battle with Tai Lung, the rope shot out and curled around an innocent bottle of sauce standing on the counter. A millisecond later the rope in his left paw shot out and grabbed a jug on the opposite shelf. He yanked with both arms, and the bottle and the jug soared through the air, shattering on collision in front of Po's face.

"What do you think?" He asked. "Imagine if I did this to two bad guys!"

Tigress gazed at him with a look that clearly said  _wow_.

"That was pretty good!" She said. "If you polished it a bit more, you just might be able to call it a proper technique!"

"Yeah, but there's way it would top your Tahlia Leap." Po chuckled, inwardly ecstatic that she had praised his effort. He suddenly let out a yawn. "Man, it's late. How about I clean up and we'll call it a night?"  
"Sure." Tigress's eyelids were also feeling rather heavy by now. "I'll help you."

Together they bent down to pick up the shards Po had created.

"Thank you for the tea." Tigress said as they collected the bits of bottle and jug. "It really made me feel better."

"You're welcome." Po found himself blushing yet again as they straightened up with their paws full of shards. "I'd do anything for my best-"

CRACK!

Po let out a sharp cry of pain as the top of his head collided with the bottom of the cupboard door he had left open while searching for lanterns. The shards he had been holding shattered into smaller pieces on the floor.

"Po!" Tigress gasped and rushed over to the panda in concern.

"I'm okay!" Po said through gritted teeth, his paws clutching his throbbing skull. "I'm okay... I'm used to this... I'm okay..." He lowered his paws, looked down at them, and frowned in confusion. "Tigress, did you spill chilli sauce?"

"No."

" _I'm not okay!_ "


	12. The Winter Feast Part III

Su's little paw held tightly on to Tigress's larger paw as the striped feline led her down the darkened corridor of the student barracks.

"Master Tigress?" Su asked nervously. "Is Po gonna be okay?"

"Yes, he'll be okay, Su." Tigress smiled warmly down at her. Her smile was pretty, and eased the child's fears somewhat. "The 'blood' on Po's head was just chilli sauce from the bottle he'd smashed earlier. He's got a bump on the head, but otherwise he'll be fine."

"Are you sure? He was screaming really loud."

"Yes, he was, wasn't he?" Tigress chuckled as she remembered Po's recent yet very memorable reaction. "We're sorry we woke you."

"It's okay, but are you sure he's not hurt really bad?" Su asked as they reached the door to her bedroom, left open when Su had rushed to the source of Po's screaming. "You said he has a bump on the head. What if he has percussion?"

"Percussion?" Tigress stared down at the child in confusion as they stepped into the bedroom.

"You know, that thing you get when you get hit on the head and your brain goes a bit screwy." Su replied. Tigress chuckled again as she realised what Su meant.

"You mean concussion, honey." She said. "Come on and I'll put you to bed."

Su obediently climbed back into her comfortable bed and allowed Tigress to pull the blanket over her.

"Your dress looks really pretty, Master Tigress." Su said after a moment.

"Thank you, Su." Tigress smiled at the compliment.

"You should dress up more often."

"I couldn't do that. The Training Hall is no place for a dress."

"Does Po like it?"

"I think so." Tigress flushed as she remembered the tiny smile growing on Po's face the first time he laid eyes on her outfit.

"Does your daddy like it?"

Tigress blinked.

"My daddy?"

"You know, Master Shifu!"

"Huh?"

"Master Po told me that Master Shifu adopted you."

"He did?"

"Yeah!"

"Huh..." Tigress gently pushed Su's head back onto her pillow and got up to leave. "Get some sleep, Su."

"Goodnight!"

"Goodnight." Tigress quietly shut the door behind her and made her way back to the kitchen.

When she reached the kitchen, she found the Dragon Warrior still sitting at the table, holding a bag full of ice to his head.

"How are you feeling, Po?" Tigress asked with an amused smile.

"Head still hurts like heck." Po sighed. "At least I'm not bleeding."

"Let me take another look."

"Okay, but be careful."

Po lowered the ice bag and his heart skipped a beat as Tigress's hard but warm paws wrapped around the sides of his head, pulling him forward into a leaning position so that she could get a better look.

"Hmmm..." Tigress very slightly touched the bump with the tip of a finger, making him wince. "Perhaps we should take you to the healer."

"Nah, we don't need the healer!" Po leaned back and pressed the ice bag to his head again when Tigress let go. "Like I said, I've bumped my head before."

"Okay, if you're sure... but you should at least get some rest." Tigress replied. "Do you want me to walk you to your room?"

Po nodded and got up from his chair, gritting his teeth as the movement send fresh waves of pain through his cranium. Together the panda and the tiger left the kitchen and headed down the corridor.

"By the way, Tigress, sorry for overreacting before." Po said after a few moments, keeping his voice down so as to not wake Su for the second time in a row. "But if it had actually been blood, then it would have been the first time I've made myself bleed."

"Really?" Tigress asked.

"Yup, for as long as I can remember, the worst injury I've ever gotten from being a clumsy idiot was a bruise on my butt the size of Shifu's tail." Po said. "Can you blame me for freaking out?"

"Sorry, but no." Tigress chuckled as Po pouted. "It was the most childish reaction to a little bit of 'blood' I'd ever seen."

"Remind to to apologise to Su for waking her up in the morning."

"Will do."

They stopped outside Po's door.

"I think I'll turn in too." Tigress said as she stifled a yawn. "See you in the morning, Po." She turned towards her own door.

"Goodnight, Tigress." Po replied and did the same.

He was opening the door, secretly wishing that his time with Tigress had ended a bit differently, when-

"Po?"

Po turned back round.

"Yeah?"

Tigress hesitated before continuing.

"That little tea party before..." She said slowly. "Was that supposed to be a date?"

The temperature in Po's cheeks rose so high that he actually began sweating. He began wringing his paws as his brain desperately searched for an appropriate answer to give to the curious feline.

The honest-to-god answer was that he had no idea. When he had first invited Tigress into the kitchen for tea, he thought he had been doing it to cheer her up after she had gotten so distressed at the Winter Feast. But now that she had asked that totally unexpected question, it occurred to the panda that he may have had asked her out for the second time that night and didn't even realise it.

_I am so dead._

Tigress gazed at Po with with wondrous gold and crimson eyes, waiting patiently for his answer.

He gazed back with his own emerald green eyes, and finally decided to tell her the truth. The whole truth. And nothing but the truth that the tea party probably had been a date.

He took a deep breath, hoped that the redness in his cheeks wasn't too vivid, opened his mouth, and...

_Rrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmbllllllleee ..._

Po and Tigress's eyes widened and they stared down at the panda's belly, which was actually quivering with the force of the grumbling of Po's stomach.

The temperature in Po's cheeks rose higher than ever and he slammed his mouth shut, utterly mortified. The timing of it all was so perfect that it appeared as though the sound had come from Po's own mouth. He clapped his paws over his mouth, dropping the ice bag in the process, unable to bring himself to look at Tigress. He closed his eyes, waiting for the feline to start teasing.

"Heh..."

A familiar sound met Po's ears.

"Heh... heheheh..."

Po opened his eyes. That sound sounded anything but teasing.

"Heheheh... ha... hahahaha..."

When he turned back to face Tigress, he was stunned to see her nearly doubled over, clutching her sides to keep from laughing too hard. Her eyes were screwed shut, and her lips were curled into the most genuine, happy, wonderful smile Po had ever seen. His heart almost melted at the sight of her, and he was almost disappointed when Tigress eventually managed to regain control of herself.

When she had finally stopped laughing, Tigress straightened up to face Po properly. She was still smiling widely.

"What-" She let out a small giggle. "What, so ten courses at a Winter Feast wasn't enough?"

"I should probably get a snack before I turn in." Po mumbled, still stunned by what he had just witnessed. "Do you wanna join me?"

"No thank you." Tigress replied. "By the way, Po, that trick you did with the ropes was really good. If you keep at it, then maybe one day it will be worthy enough to be applied in combat."

"Thanks for the encouragement, but I'm not quite flexible enough." Po sighed.

"Then make yourself more flexible." Tigress replied. She put a paw on Po's shoulder. "Remember, the meaning of kung fu is 'excellence of self'. Keep training until you get to the level you need to reach in order to achieve what you want."

Po nodded in understanding.

"Understood." He said.

"Good." Tigress lowered her paw. "Now get a snack and I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Tigress." Po replied in a small voice as Tigress stepped into her room and shut the door behind her.

With a sigh, he slowly made his way back to the kitchen.

He was just beginning to consider cooking a bowl of noodles when nineteen words which had just been uttered his face moment before hit him like a ton of bricks.

_"Keep training until you get to the level you need to reach in order to achieve what you want."_

_That's it!_

If it wasn't for the fact that Su was sleeping nearby, Po would have started dancing on the squeaky floorboards.

_If Tigress deserves a better man, then I will train to become that better man._

Po grinned and silently pumped his fist in the air, wondering why he hadn't decided this before.

Earlier that night, after botching his first attempt to ask her out, Po had decided that he was not worthy of someone like Master Tigress. Now, he was cursing himself for giving up so quickly.

He would avoid short cuts. He would avoid cheating.

If he had a chance... the tiniest chance... of winning her hand... then he would do whatever it took to earn it.

He would train harder in his kung fu.

He would go on a diet.

He would take baths three times a week instead of once.

He would get some new pants.

He would improve himself in every way possible.

Starting tomorrow, he would begin training to become someone better.

_Rrrmmmbbbllleee..._

But first he would get a snack.

Po put a paw over his complaining gut and resumed his walk to the palace kitchen.

* * *

Masters Storming Ox, Croc, and Boar were gathered next to one of the large pillars of the Hall of Warriors, conversing about goings ons back in Gongmen City, when they were interrupted by the appearance of Emperor Xian.

"I'm sorry for intruding..." Xian said sincerely as the three masters bowed in respect. "You are the Master's Council, correct?"

"We are, your excellency." Croc, the elected leader of the council after the death of Master Thundering Rhino, answered reverently.

"I trust you have already read the report from General Tujiu." Xian said. "What are your thoughts?"

"You'll find the full details of our opinions in this scroll." Croc pulled out a small paper scroll from the silver robes he was wearing for the feast. "We'd tell you with our own mouths, but my friend Ox here has a habit of using coarse language when expressing negative feelings."

"I won't deny it." Ox chuckled.

"May I?" Xian took the scroll, opened it, and began to read. What he read made him smile. "Good. I was hoping you would see it that way."

"Please understand that what is written in the scroll is a matter of opinion." Ox said. "As emperor, you are the only one who can authorise this kind of action."

"Well I agree whole heartedly with what you have said here..." Xian closed the scroll and tucked it into his robes. "But I have decided to give him one more chance. It will take roughly sixteen days to travel from here to the Himalayas. I will give him that, and an additional three days, to bring the situation to a satisfactory conclusion. If he fails... well..."

"Understood." Boar said. "We will not question your decision, your greatness."

"That will be all." Xian said. "By the way, Master Boar, I think Master Monkey may wish to speak with you in private."

"He does?" Boar didn't sound surprised.

"You should find him just outside the entrance doors."

"Thank you, your highness." Boar bowed. Xian excused himself and headed off in the direction of Princess Haoxin, Zu Chunhua, Zan and Lu Kang, who were gathered near the moon pool. "Excuse me..."

Boar politely excused himself and headed off in the direction of the entrance doors. He exited the hall, and sure enough, Monkey was standing by the stone rail to the left of the top of the stairs.

"Master Monkey..."

Monkey looked up.

"There you are." He said without smiling. "I was looking all over for you."

"Sorry about that. I was told that you wanted to speak to me." Boar stepped forward until he and Monkey were three feet apart. The winter air was cool, and a soft breeze ruffled Monkey's fur and Boar's mohawk.

"Yes." Monkey said. "I did."

"If it's about the sword, then I apologise." Boar sighed. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories..."

"No, it's not that." Monkey said. "I just wanted to thank you for delivering it to me. I'm thankful that some last remnant of my father's was retrieved from that place."

"You're welcome." Boar said, feeling relieved.

"But I'm curious..." Monkey said. "What were you doing way up there in the mountains?"

"It wasn't me. a group of soldiers were travelling. They came across the place where the..." He hesitated. "The incident happened..."

_Unbelievably huge, impossibly tall, covered in dark fur splattered in blood. A long slit on its chest looked like it had been cut by a dao sword..._

"... and discovered the sword while salvaging for extra supplies. Someone eventually recognised the significance of the sword, and sent it back to the nearest army camp. A while later, I travelled to said camp while on a mission. I recognised the sword the second I set eyes on it, and decided that it should be sent straight to you."

"Ah, now I understand..." Monkey replied with a small smile. "Again, thank your for sending it to me."

"Again, you're welcome." Boar said with a similarly friendly expression. Then said expression changed. "Monkey... about what the Emperor wants..."

"Huh?"

"I'm not allowed to say anything... but I want you to assure me that no matter what happens... no matter what you find out..."

"What are you talking about?"

"... that you won't do anything  _stupid_."

Monkey blinked in confusion.

"What do you mean something stupid?"

"Say it."

"But-"

"Say it!

"Okay, I'll behave!" Monkey said in exasperation. "But what are you talking about?"

"You'll find out from your master tomorrow." Boar said simply. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait until then to understand."

"Master Boar, I don't..."

Suddenly the door opened and Master Ox poked his head out.

"Boar, are you done out here?" He exclaimed. "Master Sheep's had a bit too much and I think he's about to start dancing! You don't want to miss this, believe me!"

He disappeared back inside the hall.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go." Boar said. "Remember what I've told you."

"But Boar..." Monkey trailed off as Boar vanished through the entrance door.

_Don't do anything stupid? What did he mean by that?_  Monkey thought in confusion.  _Does whatever the Emperor wants have something to do with me?_


	13. Someone to watch over Su

For the first time since he came to the Jade Palace, Po did not stay asleep when the morning gong rang.

The moment after he heard the ringing in his ears, Po's eyes shot open. Of course, being neither swift nor agile, Po still failed to exit his room at the exact same time as the Furious Five, but all the same he ignored the sudden throbbing in his still very sore head, rushed to the door, stepped outside his room, and called 'good morning, Master.'

Naturally Shifu was surprised when Po emerged from his room only two seconds after the others. Tigress's eyes were also slightly widened as she stared at the panda standing opposite her, forgetting to straighten his back and put his paws behind already mentioned back.

"Nice of you to get up for once." he said, not unkindly. "There will be no training today, children." he said when Su and Pong also emerged from their respective rooms. "I and my older students have some business to attend to today. You will be having the day off."

"Master Shifu, I don't know what else to do." Su piped up.

"How about I take you to my dad's for the day?" Po gave the younger panda a wide smile. Su felt her cheeks grow hot under his smile, which while bigger than Tigress's possessed the same soothing warmth. "Would you like that?"

"Okay." Su said, glad for the opportunity to practice her other skills; before coming to the palace, she had gone to a weekly cooking class with the other kids in her village.

"Master Shifu, would that be okay?" Po turned to Shifu.

"Of course, Po. But first I must brief you all in the kitchen. You may take Su to the village before you begin your duties."

"Should I wait in my room?" Su asked.

"If you wish to, yes. Pong, you may return to your family in the village."

"Okay! See ya, Su!" Pong waved his friend goodbye and disappeared up the corridor, while Su retreated back inside her bedroom.

"Alright, everyone into the kitchen at once." Shifu said. "And Po, congratulations on improving your punctuality."

As everyone headed towards the kitchen, Po's eyes momentarily met Tigress's. She flashed him a small smile. Not a sarcastic 'honestly' smile, but a genuine 'well done' smile. Again, Po felt his insides turn to jelly. Already, his 'training' to become a better person was paying off.

As Po stepped into the kitchen, he mused that he had no idea when the Winter Feast had ended last night. As the panda sat down at the table with his friends, he had a sinking feeling that they weren't here to have breakfast.

"Will we be having breakfast before or after?" he asked tentatively after his stomach rumbled suddenly.

"This a very serious matter, Po, so no." Shifu said.

"What's the emergency, Master?" Viper asked.

Shifu cleared his throat before speaking.

"Last night, Emperor Xian informed me of a crisis unfolding in the Himalayan Mountains." he said. "Quite a while ago, an ancient fortress was discovered, completely abandoned, but not quite in danger of collapse. General Tujiu decided to secure the site and refurbish it for the Imperial Army's purposes."

"So what's the problem?" Crane asked.

"Yeah, who's the dumb bandit causing trouble for those poor soldiers?" Po exclaimed with his typical enthusiasm.

"Over the past several weeks, soldiers have begun disappearing in the mountains surrounding the fortress and coming back as corpses." Shifu went on. "According to the reports, the culprit or culprits have more than enough strength to rip a full grown gorilla limb from limb."

The room was suddenly deathly quiet. Po's enthusiastic grin changed to a mouth half open with horror.

"Nearly sixty soldiers have died so far. Because General Tujiu seemed unable to handle the situation by himself, Emperor Xian sent an order for him to-" Shifu stopped speaking when he saw that Monkey had gone rigid. "Is everything all right, Monkey?"

"Huh?" Monkey blinked. "Oh, I'm sorry, Master. I'm just a little shocked, that's all."

"Hmmm..." Shifu eyed the primate. Of course it was natural for Monkey to be stunned after what the red panda himself had just revealed, but there was something in Monkey's expression that made Shifu very slightly suspicious. In the end, he shrugged it off, stepped away from Monkey, and resumed speaking.

"As I was saying, Emperor Xian sent an order for the general to evacuate himself and his soldiers from the site for their on safety until they could better figure out the enemy. As you can guess, the general has not budged. Either he is disobeying the emperor or the messages were intercepted by the culprit."

"Do they have any idea what is killing the soldiers?" Monkey asked.

"No. General Tujiu seems convinced that mountain bandits are responsible for the recent fatalities. But the emperor and the other generals aren't so sure. I and the emperor have recently spoken with the Masters' Council, and they agree that swift action must be taken."

"So they came to us." Tigress said.

"Correct." Shifu replied. "No matter what General Tujiu says, the soldiers up there need urgent assistance. And so the emperor has requested that we travel up to the mountains ourselves to help fix the situation and prevent any more deaths."

"W-wait, what?!" Po exclaimed. "Aren't the mountains half way across China?!"

"Is there a problem?" Shifu asked testily.

"No... but the emperor isn't really expecting us to  _walk_  all the way there, right?"

"Yes, Po. Would you rather I chuck you all the way across the country?"

"No!"

"Good."

"What kind of fortress is this, Master?" Mantis asked.

"I think you know." Shifu said. "You remember the Temple of Heroes, right?"

"You're talking about that crazy place with all those booby traps?" Mantis asked. "Yeah, I remember that!"

"Fortunately this time the booby traps are inactive." Shifu said. "According to reports, the mechanisms were broken when the army first arrived."

"When do we leave?" Tigress asked.

"This morning if possible. We will most likely be gone for at least a month, so I suggest you all start packing the moment this discussion is over."

"Well, what are we waiting for?!" Monkey suddenly exclaimed, nearly leaping from his seat. "Let's get up to those mountains and take this killer down!"

"Calm down, Monkey." Shifu said with a raised eyebrow. "We still have an issue to deal with before we leave. Everything else has been taken care of, but there is still the matter of finding a place for Su while we are gone. Emperor Xian's family will be inhabiting the palace during our absence, so Su will need to find an alternative residence."

"What about my dad's place?" Po asked. "She can sleep in my old bedroom, and he'd love to have her."

"An excellent idea, Po." Shifu nodded in agreement. "You may take her down there before you begin packing. You may go."

"We're still having breakfast, right?" the panda asked as he got up first and headed for the door. When he opened it, he got a surprise when he found little Su standing right in front of him, staring up at him with wide eyes."

"Hey, Su. I thought you were waiting in your room."

"I needed to pee." Su said. Po frowned when he realized that her expression was one of shock and horror.

"Su, are you alright?"

"M-m-Master Po..." Su whimpered.

"Su?"

"I... er..."

"Why don't you tell me about it while we're heading to my dad's?" Po asked. He gently ushered her down the corridor while Shifu dismissed his other students.

Su seemed very quiet, even quieter than usual, as they descended the thousand stairs and made their way through the village. This began to worry Po, especially when she didn't answer his frequent questions concerning her mood. It wasn't until they were halfway across the stone bridge that he finally stopped, making Su also stop and turn to him in confusion.

"Come on, Su. What is it?" He asked. "What's wrong?"

Su didn't reply at first, but then her dark blue eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him.

"Is it true?" she asked. "Is something really happening in the mountains?"

"Yep." said Po. "Nothing for you to worry about. Me and the other grown ups can take care of..."

"What do you mean, 'nothing to worry about'?!" Su suddenly cried, making Po jump.

"Well, S-Su, I meant that it doesn't really concern you." Po replied, now thoroughly perplexed.

"Yes it does!" Su retorted a flash of anger crossing her features. "You have to take me with you!"

"Su, it's too dangerous!" Po exclaimed. "You're just a kid."

"I don't care!" Su retorted. "I have to help-"

"What's all the yelling about?"

Po and Su turned their heads to see a middle aged goose approaching.

"I could hear you all the way from my shop." said Mr. Ping. His apron bore fresh stains and he was holding his B ladle, having been in the middle of cooking the first batch of noodles when he had heard Su yelling. "Is everything all right?"

"Po won't let me go with them to the mountains!" Su cried, pointing an accusatory finger at Po.

"Mountains?"

"That's why we were heading for your shop, dad." Po said. "Me and the others are going on a mission and we won't be back for a least a month."

"A month?!" Mr. Ping nearly dropped his ladle. "I won't be seeing you for a month?!"

"Dad, it's no big deal." Po fought the urge to roll his eyes. "The royal family will be living in the Jade Palace during that time. We were wondering if Su could stay with you for the time being."

Mr. Ping turned his attention to the little girl shyly shifting her feet. As the little panda cub looked up at him with timid sapphire blue eyes, his beak curled into a grin.

"Of course, I would love to have her!" He beamed. Without saying another word to Po, he grabbed Su's little paw and half-dragged her down the road to his noodle shop.

Po rolled his eyes now that his father's back was turned, and was about to make his way back to the palace when his stomach rumbled again. He patted his stomach, remembering that he hadn't had breakfast yet. Figuring that getting a snack before heading back wouldn't hurt, he turned round and followed Su and Mr. Ping.

Mr. Ping and Su were already in the kitchen by the time he'd reached the entrance. As Po made his way through the outdoors eating area (empty, since the customers hadn't arrived yet), he could hear Mr. Ping speaking in a rapid and joyful tone.

"Oh this is going to be just like old times! We're going to have so much fun together! I can teach you everything I know about noodles! I can teach you how to make perfect soft-crunch noodles! We can play mahjong every day! I can show you all my pictures of my best times with Po!"

Po chuckled as he reached the kitchen and stepped inside to find the goose already showing Su a small collection of 'snapshots'. Su looked at each one with mild interest, and giggled when the goose showed her the 'giving Po a piggy back ride' picture. However, when she saw Po come in, she got up from the little stool and gave him a glare that made the panda recoil.

"Why can't I go?" she demanded. "Why won't you let me come with you to the mountains?"

"I already told you, Su. It's too dangerous." Po replied with a sigh.

"But-"

"What about your parents? How would they feel if you got hurt?"

At that, Su fell silent.

Mildly wondering what had gotten into her so suddenly, Po turned to Mr. Ping.

"Dad, are those noodles finished yet?"

"No, but there is some stinky tofu on the bench over there. You can have some of that if you're feeling hungry."

Po nodded in thanks and with a small knife, cut out a slice of tofu the size of a dinner plate. And another slice. And another slice. He wrinkled his nose as he lifted the plate; this tofu had extra,  _extra_  stink.

"Po, are you sure you should be having that much tofu?" Mr. Ping asked. "You'll stink like a dead horse in august!"

"Aw come on. What's the harm in a little stink?" Po asked.

"What would Master Shifu and the Five say?"

"Dad, it'll be fine. Besides, I'm starving." Po lifted the first stinky slice of tofu to his mouth...

"Po!"

Po froze when he heard a very familiar voice; someone was approaching the noodle shop.

"Po?"

"Tigress!" Po gasped. His glanced down at his large plate of stinky tofu, glanced at the entrance to the noodle shop, then quick as lighting flung the plate into the fire beneath the stove, just as the striped feline stepped into view.

"Come on, Po." Tigress said as she approached the kitchen. "Shifu wants you to get a move on."

"But I've been been down here for ten minutes!" Po exclaimed indignantly.

"I know, but we just been told that there have been two more deaths." Po's jaw slammed shut, and Su turned pale. "We have to be on our way within half an hour."

"T-two more deaths?" Mr. Ping whispered, eyes wide as the plate which Po had just smashed.

"Master Tigress, you have to let me go with you!" Su cried. "Please!"

"Su, it's too dangerous. We can't let you." Tigress replied without looking at her.

"But-"

"No!" Tigress grabbed Po's arm and dragged him from the restaurant.


	14. Out of Character

They would be ready to leave within thirty minutes.

However, there were still a couple of things that needed to be done first.

Emperor Xian was currently doing the first thing. After changing out of his flowing silken robes and into a less glamorous outfit (specifically dark red pants, a long sleeved gold vest with some light armor covering his torso, far more suitable clothing for mountain terrain), he was now giving each member of his family a heartfelt goodbye, along with one or two apologies for going away for so long.

Monkey was doing the second thing; collecting the last of the supplies from the student barracks. He was taking a lot longer than usual, so Master Shifu had sent Po to find out what was keeping him. When neither of them came back, Shifu sent Mantis. None of them had returned yet.

Shifu would have gone to retrieve them himself, but he was currently stuck doing the third and worst thing: conversing with Princess Haoxin.

"How long did you say you would be gone for, Master Tree-fruit?" she was asking, currently dressed in robes of shimmering cerulean.

"A month. Two at the most." Shifu replied, his hands clenched into fists beneath his sleeves.

"Oh dear, that is a long time is it not? You will remember to cut your mustache so it does not get even longer and catch on a stalagmite or something?"

"Yes..." Shifu hissed.

"And you will brush your beard every day?"

"Yes..."

"And you will make sure dear Tigress gets enough to eat?"  
"Yeeesss..."

"Oh good!" Haoxin replied. "You know, my biggest regret this weekend is that I never got a chance to spend some proper time with her! Oh well..."

"Oh well indeed..." Shifu muttered as they stepped into the Hall of Warriors and began making their way towards the moon pool. "Is there anything else you wish to check before I begin my last minute meditation?'

"There is just one more thing, Master Pikachu..." Haoxin said. "How is your poor little bottom after that terrible business in the tailor shop?"

Sincerely wishing that Haoxin hadn't decided to bring that up, Shifu gritted his teeth for the umpteenth time before answering. Letting Mr. Ping stay in the Jade Palace had been less torturous than this.

"It's recovering." he said. "At least it no longer hurts when I sit down."

"Oh good. You know, last night during the feast, I was telling my family all about your bottom and how nicely shaped it is." Haoxin said. "They all agreed that you had aged very well, aside of course from your winkles."

"I mean no disrespect, but people tend to get wrinkles regardless of how well they age." Shifu replied. The words he uttered in his head were round about the same as what had he had just said, with a few heartfelt profanities tossed in.

"Oh yes, of course they do! Silly me..." Haoxin chuckled to herself. "That just goes to show who has the brains around here."

"Quite."

"Anyway, before I leave you to your meditating I just want to ask one more thing."

"Go on."

"How is-"

The goose was interrupted when the doors opened and Master Eagle Jr. entered.

"Master Eagle Jr." Shifu stepped forward and bowed to the fellow master in greeting. "You returned quickly."

"I once flew all the the way from the Imperial City to Qidan on the other side of China, and got back again in six hours." Master Eagle replied. "From here to the Himalayas and back within sixteen hours is nothing."

"Did you deliver the message without any trouble?" Shifu asked.

"Do you really need to ask?" The eagle chuckled. "Where may I ask is Emperor Xian?"

"He should be in the Palace Arena with the rest of the royal family." Haoxin said.

"Right. I will see you in the arena, Master Shifu. Princess Haoxin..." he excused himself and departed.

"What message was he talking about?" Haoxin asked.

"It's just a reply from the Masters' Council." Shifu replied. "Nothing for you to worry about, your highness. What were you about to ask me before?"

"Oh yes, I just wanted to know how is Tigress doing?"

Shifu blinked in surprise.

"Why do you ask?" he asked.

"Well, it is just that last night I saw her storming out the hall looking rather distressed." Haoxin's usually cheerful expression changed to concern. "I would have gone after her myself, but the Dragon Warrior had followed her out, and I figured that he would have done a better job of comforting the girl than I could."

Shifu remembered also seeing them leave early, but having been half-distracted by Master Sheep didn't pay it much mind. As he thought about it, he also realized that neither of them had returned for the rest of the night.

"So, is she alright?" Haoxin asked.

"She didn't seem that upset when we woke up this morning." he replied. "But if anything else happens I'll ask her about it."

"Please do. I do hope that whatever it was that was troubling her was not too terrible."

 _So do I_ , Shifu inexplicably found himself thinking.

"It would be such a terrible shame." Haoxin went on. "After all, it is wonderful that she became such a beautiful, king hearted young woman, considering how she was raised."

Shifu merely nodded in response.

"If I may, I would like to begin my meditation now." he spoke politely.

"Of course, Master My-Toe." Haoxin replied. "I won't bother you any longer."

With that, she excused herself and left the hall.

Shifu, immensely relieved at her departure, turned to the moon pool and sat down at the water's edge.

He closed his eyes. Took rhythmic deep breaths.

Suddenly his eyes snapped open.

He leapt to his feet and sprinted from the hall of warriors.

"Mr. Ping! Mr. Ping! Mr. Ping!"

* * *

Mr. Ping was cheerfully humming as he finished the dusting in Po's old bedroom, which for the next month or so would belong to little Su. The little girl was currently out and about, Mr. Ping having requested that she go and play somewhere while he tidied up the old bedroom. Luckily there hadn't been too much effort, aside from retrieving the countless bowls his son had stacked up when he still lived here.

Half way through sweeping the dust off of the last object in the bedroom (the throwing star embedded in the wall), Mr. Ping's smile faded. The tune he was humming fell into silence.

_Two more deaths._

A chill shot up his spine.

He wished he had spoken. He wished that he had protested before Tigress had dragged Po from the noodle shop.

Mr. Ping knew he had no right to interfere. Po was the Dragon Warrior now. He had a duty to protect the innocent. Stopping him from performing that duty could create more victims.

But Tigress had said that there had been two  _more_  deaths.

"Son..." Mr. Ping whispered as he flicked the last speck of dust off the throwing star and then made his way back down the stairs. "Please be safe."

He stepped into the kitchen and picked up his B ladle. The customers would arrive at any moment.

He was lowering his ladle into the simmering pot of noodles on the stove when-

"Mr. Ping! Mr. Ping! Mr. Ping! Mr. Ping! Mr. Ping!"

The goose looked up, eyebrows raised.

"Master Shifu?"

The red panda rushed into the noodle shop, shouting Mr. Ping's name over and over. The goose blinked in surprise. This was very out of character for the grandmaster of the Jade Palace.

"What on earth is the matter, Master Shifu?"

Shifu skidded to a stop right in front of Mr. Ping. He panted several times before speaking.

"Mr. Ping... Princess Haoxin..."

"Who is Princess Haoxin?"

"A member of the royal family... Princess Haoxin has just told me that she's glad that Tigress became who she was... despite how she was raised..."

"And?" asked the very perplexed goose.

"You're a father! What does that mean?!"

"Oh! Ummm..." Mr. Ping paused in thought, unsure how best to answer that question. "I think what she means is that it is good that Master Tigress became the person she is now in spite of the environment that she grew up in."

"I know that!" Shifu snapped impatiently. "What I want to know is what is Princess Haoxin implying?"

"She probably just thought that kung fu training wasn't the best scenario for a child to be raised in." Mr. Ping replied.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Shifu retorted. "I have lived around kung fu since I was twelve years old, and look at me now!"

Mr. Ping didn't dare reply to that particular statement.

"Master Shifu..." he hesitated. "What kind of figure were you to Tigress while she was growing up? Princess Haoxin was probably referring to that."

"Master and student of course!" Shifu replied impatiently. "Our relationship was business. Nothing more."

"Really?" Mr. Ping was surprised. "I thought Po told me that you had adopted her from an orphanage."

"So? So wha-" Shifu froze, the full realization of exactly what Princess Haoxin had implied to him hitting him like a ton of bricks.

When he had travelled to Bao Gu Orphanage to deal with the 'monster' all those years ago, only several months after Tai Lung's rampage, his first thought that he was going to be dealing with a troublemaker, the bully of the orphanage. After all, that been been the impression he had been given after hearing the matron's stories. Of course, that impression had been shattered when he had gazed upon Tigress for the first time. He could still remember their first meeting. A little tiger cub sitting huddled up in one corner of the trashed, tiny dark room which she had probably been imprisoned in all her life. An aged red panda with a barely healed leg standing in the doorway of her prison, determined not to show any affection yet at the same time feeling his disapproval redirect itself towards the orphanage staff who had done this to her.

What few people but Oogway himself ever knew was that it was not love that had initially driven him to adopt Tigress, but redemption.

During the many months he had spent training her to control her strength and her temper, Shifu had begun to see some small part of Tai Lung in her. Not his arrogance, never his arrogance. But aside from strength, Tigress had also shown determination, resourcefulness, perhaps even the same wish to please her teacher. It was for this reason that over time, Shifu had gradually begun to see the girl as his second chance, his chance to redeem himself for the terrible mistakes he had made in raising his former student. And so, after completing her training and later learning that all the adults were still afraid of her, he returned to the orphanage and took her away. It was of course a good reason for his doing so... but at the same time it was also a selfish one. For more than anything, the purpose for making Tigress his student was to ease the torment in his own mind.

Shifu had known this, yet over the years, he still pushed her away, criticized her rather than praised her, unwilling to make the same mistakes he had made with Tai Lung. It was only when the first of the future Furious Five, a teenaged primate named Monkey, arrived at the Jade Palace and became her first companion that Shifu's deep internal guilt had begun to lessen. By the time that Viper, the last future member, came to the palace, that guilt had faded to a mere irritation. Yet it never completely disappeared.

And now that Princess Haoxin of all people had pointed it out...

_I have to set things right._

"Mr. Ping, I need your help."

"What with?" Mr. Ping asked. During Shifu's silent epiphany, he had pulled out a pair of radishes and begun to slice them.

"I need advice on how to be a parent." Shifu said, keeping it short and to the point.

Mr. Ping stopped chopping.

"Oh my..." he uttered. "That was unexpected."

"Just help me!" Shifu snapped.

"Alright, alright! Well, I can't say much right now. The customers will be arriving soon for breakfast noodles and you will be going away for several weeks. Why don't you wait until you get back, and then we can have a good talk about this."

Shifu wanted to protest, but Mr. Ping was right.

"Fine. Is there anything you can tell me quickly before we leave?"

"Well, all I can say is that you should start relying less on what your head tells you and more on what your heart does."

Shifu stared at the goose.

"Seriously?"

Mr. Ping turned his gaze to the little picture on the right hand shelf. Shifu followed his gaze and saw the little panda cub, one of his leg wraps loose and trailing on the floor, and the younger Mr. Ping standing beside each other with warm smiles.

"It worked for me." replied Mr. Ping.

At that moment, Shifu felt a small tug on his green grandmaster's robe. He turned round and found little Su staring up at him.

"Master Shifu." she said, a scowl on her cherubic face. "I have a very big bone to pick with you."

"What's the problem?" Shifu asked, surprised to see her so angry.

"Why can't I go with you to the mountains?"

"Su, you already know why. It's too dangerous for a young girl."

"But..."

"The answer is no." Shifu replied firmly. Out of the corner of his eye, through the entranceway to the restaurant, he saw his students, Emperor Xian, Master Eagle Jr., and Di Tan, along with two supply carts carrying bags and crates. "Now please go inside with Mr. Ping."

Su wordlessly stepped into the kitchen and sat down amongst the bags of flour. Shifu flashed her an apologetic expression.

"Goodbye now, Su, Mr. Ping." he said. "We will see you in a couple of months."

With that, he left the noodle shop, passing Po on the way. He heard the panda share a heartwarming goodbye with his father complete with hugs and apologies for going away for so long.

Shifu left them to it and stood beside his students. After a moment, he heard Po ask;

"Hey, where's Su?"

Indeed, the young cub was no longer sitting by the flour.

"Oh she's probably gone upstairs." Shifu heard Mr. Ping reply. "She's probably still upset, so it'd be best not to bother her."

"Okay. Tell her we said bye. Bye, dad."

With that, Po left the shop and joined the others.

"Is everything ready?" Shifu asked.

"All the supplies are in the two carts." Master Eagle Jr. said before turning to Xian. "Shall we begin our journey, your highness?"

"We shall." Xian replied.

As the traveling party made their way through the village, Mr. Ping made his way up the stairs towards Po's old room.

"Su..." he called as he ascended. "I know you are upset, but please understand that they are only forbidding you to go because you could get hurt... Su?"

He poked his head through the opening in the bedroom floor.

"Su?"


	15. Prelude

"Su?!" Mr. Ping squawked as he caught sight of the empty bed.

He leapt through the hole in the floor and scrambled about the deserted bedroom.

Where was she?! She had only been gone for a couple of minutes... and Mr. Ping had been in the kitchen for most of that time! If Su had gone downstairs then he would have seen her!

And what if she had gone downstairs and he somehow hadn't seen her? What kind of guardian was he? What was he going to do?!

He spun around on the spot, his mind swimming with terror. He stopped when he glanced at Po's bed and realized that the old, tattered bed-sheet was missing.

A thought came to him, and he leapt onto Po's old and sunken bed and poked his head out the window.

Just as he had thought, just below the windowsill a rope made of sheets was dangling from a protruding thick nail, stretching all the way down to the ground two floors below. Su must have collected more sheets from the other upstairs rooms.

_But why..._

Mr. Ping leapt down from the bed, and as he did so, his foot rushed a piece of paper he had knocked off the bedside table during his frantic search around the room. He looked down, and realized with a jolt that piece of paper was a hastily scribbled note. And judging from the wet shimmer of the ink, it had been written very recently.

It took seven seconds for him to pick it up and read the entirety of the note...

"Oh... oh my... oh no, Su!"

... and by the eighth second he had dropped the note and was running for the stairs, shouting for a messenger goose named Zeng. He had to get a message to them, and get it to them quickly.

* * *

As they trudged along the Thread of Hope, a rope bridge stretching all the way across the misty abyss that served as the only way in to the Valley of Peace, Po frequently found his thoughts returning to Tigress, and his eyes frequently straying in her direction. It was a warm day, unusually sunny weather for the winter season, and it was for this reason that she was back in her normal sleeveless red vest. The panda couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed that she had switched back to less feminine clothing. She had looked so beautiful in that shimmering green and white dress, with the Heart of China bouncing on her chest-

_Stop that!_

Po mentally slapped himself.

He was going on a mission now. Now was not the time for amateur romance.

Once this was over and they were back in the Jade Palace, he would begin his 'training' then.

* * *

Tigress scowled as the bridge they travelled across brought back memories of the first battle the Furious Five had ever lost.

It had been her own fault, really. It wasn't arrogance that had made her disobey Shifu two or three years ago (at least she hoped it wasn't), but a deep seated need to finally make him proud of her, to receive the tiniest hint of praise. Of course now she and the others were receiving it in spades, but still... she frowned and glanced at Shifu, who was walking alongside Emperor Xian up ahead... Tigress had a feeling that things between her and her master weren't quite fixed yet.

She suddenly sensed a pair of eyes staring at her.

She turned her head towards the panda walking just behind her, just in time to spot him quickly turning his gaze in another direction. He seemed fixed on the food cart, but the shifty look in his eyes and the redness of his cheeks betrayed him.

Tigress gave him a suspicious look and turned her head back to facing forward.

He had been doing that a lot lately.

* * *

Two days after they reached the other end of the Thread of Hope, Viper was slithering across the grassy field at the rear of the group when she spotted one of the bags beginning to slip from the supply cart Po was pulling. She quickly sprung onto the edge of the cart and pushed the bag back inside with her tail.

"Viper?" Po turned his head when he heard the disturbance. "What are you doing?"

"One of the bags was falling off."

"Oh. Thanks, Viper."

Po gave a puzzled when Viper, instead of slithering back off the cart, slithered up until she was just behind his head.

"Sooo..." Po heard her say slyly. "How did it go with Tigress the other night?"

Po nearly tripped over flat earth.

"H-how did you find out about that?!"

"Su told us." Viper said matter-of-factly. "She told us all about how you woke her up in the middle of the night by screaming your head off. She said that you and Tigress had been having a little tea party."

Po clenched his teeth in monumental embarrassment.

"For your information, it was not a date!" he said, teeth still pressed together. "Tigress was getting a little upset from all those guys staring at her and whispering about her at the Winter Feast, and I just wanted to cheer her up."

"Oh, that..." Viper frowned a little. "I overheard two of the masters that night. They were saying that in her dress, Tigress looked a lot like someone they used to know. I asked them who they were talking about, but they were reluctant to mention her name in front of the Emperor."

"So that's what they were whispering about her for." Po replied. "I thought it was because she looked beautiful."

"They were talking about that too."

"Oh."

"So back to my question... how did it go with Tigress?" Viper asked.

"I told you it was not a date!" The redness in Po's cheeks flared up once again.

"I know that." Viper chuckled at poor Po's reaction. "I just want to know how it went."

"Alright... if you must know, Tigress felt better and we both went to bed. It didn't end in kissing, hugging, 'thanks for walking me home' speeches, or any romantic stuff of any kind!"

"What's her favorite tea?"

"Green tea with honey. Why?"

"Just curious."

"Can we talk about something else, please? If Shifu or Tigress hear our conversation I'm dead meat!"  
"Alright, alright." Viper laughed. "Let's talk about noodles."

"Noodles?"

"Yes. What's the secret ingredient?"

"Not telling."

"Why not?"

"Because it's secret!"

"No point if having a secret ingredient if there isn't one."

"What?"

"Nothing! Let's talk about tea!"

* * *

Three days later, they set up camp in a small clearing in the middle of a bamboo forest. While the others all sat around the warm fire, sharing stories and basically making good conversation, Monkey sat alone in his tent, staring down at the pair of dao swords lying in front of him. Several days ago one of them had been covered in rust. Now, after much work and care on Monkey's part, it looked just as deadly as its twin brother.

Monkey picked up the once rusted sword and ran his fingers over the flat of the blade. Fifteen years ago, the night the sword disappeared and a small army of imperial soldiers had been brutally murdered had become known across China as the Himalayan Imperial Army Massacre.

And now it was happening again. In a fortress deep in the mountains, people were dying at the hands of some powerful and bloodthirsty creature.

_Could it be?_

* * *

Ten days into their surprisingly uneventful journey, two days before they would venture into the largest mountain range in the world, the traveling group stopped at Zhongtu City, a bustling city slightly smaller than the likes of Gongmen, and also happened to be Di Tan's old hometown.

In front of a modest little house on the outskirts of the city, Di Tan was pulling a small bag full of belongings from one of the carts.

"Thank you for allowing me to join you on the journey." Di Tan bowed respectfully to Emperor Xian. "I greatly appreciate this."

Xian chuckled.

"It wasn't as if we had any choice." he replied. "There is no way I'm making my eighty-four year old chef travel all the way here to visit his relatives all by himself."

"We will return to pick you up once the situation at the fortress has been resolved." Shifu said.

"That should be a couple of weeks at the most, correct?" Di Tan asked.

"Yes." Shifu nodded in response.

"Oh lovely! I've been hoping to spend some decent quality time with my son's family." Di Tan beamed. "Well, I won't keep you here any longer. Bye now!"

With a friendly wave, he turned and headed towards the front door of the house.

* * *

General Tujiu snarled, crumpled up the scroll and flung it into one corner of the map room.

As he stared out the window of the fortress with an expression of indignant fury, the crumple up paper began to slowly unfold again, steadily revealing the contents of the message...

_General Tujiu._

_The Masters' Council has observed your latest report on the crisis unfolding at the Himalayan fortress._

_To be perfectly honest, it's exactly the sort of useless finger-pointing we had expected of you ever since you ignored the Emperor's orders to retreat from the site._

_The consequences of your insubordination and arrogance may very well have cost dozens of lives. Your transparent scapegoating does nothing to change the fact that you are solely responsible for this turn of events._

_It is our opinion that you should receive immediate demotion for insubordination and gross misconduct in the field._

_Master Croc._

_Head of the Gongmen City Masters' Council._

They would regret this. That Tujiu promised.

* * *

The murderer of a hundred soldiers slung its latest kill over its shoulder before beginning the long but effortless climb up the mountains towards its lair.

As it pulled itself up the rock face with its massive arms, it had a sudden feeling that something was about to change. Whether this change was good or bad, it didn't know.

No matter.

Right now, it would focus on the task at hand: eliminate the intruders at the fortress one by one until there weren't enough to defend.

It hesitated mid-climb as it heard  _her_  again,  _her_ weak voice in its mind again calling out for help.

Once it got into the fortress, it would find  _her_.

And then it would set  _her_  free.


	16. The Survivor's Guilt of Emperor Xian

Fourteen days into their journey, Po's legs were beginning to feel like lead weights.

"Are... we there... yet?" He panted. They hadn't stopped to rest for six hours.

Tigress rolled her eyes, opened her mouth to say that they obviously weren't, when Master Eagle Jr. said;

"Almost, Dragon Warrior. In case you didn't hear us mention it earlier, we are currently traveling through the Hariyo Forest, in the eastern Nepalese region." He said. Indeed, the traveling party was currently walking along a small dirt path cutting through a forest full of lush evergreen trees Po had never seen before. "Once we reach the other side, we will have reached the base of the lower mountains of the Himalayas."

"The not so snowy ones." Mantis added.

"From there, our route takes us through the mountains." Shifu took up the explanation. "We follow a small path for four or five days until we reach the-"

"Four or five days?" Tigress frowned. "But wouldn't walking to the fortress take a fortnight at the very least?"  
"I'm just getting to that. After four or five days, we reach a natural tunnel system that cuts right through three of the bigger mountains. It would cut that time in half. After that, it's a two or three day walk to the fortress."

"Are you kidding?!" Po groaned. "I thought you said that this trip would take sixteen days at the least!"

"At the  _least_." Shifu replied, then turned and walked over to Emperor Xian, who was trekking several feet ahead of the others. "Emperor Xian, the sun is beginning to set. Should we stop for the night?"

Xian looked up at the sky, which was turning steadily from pale blue to orange.

"I think we should. I see a small clearing up ahead. We can rest there."

"Good." Shifu replied. Silence passed between them for a while, then he added. "I still think you shouldn't have come with us on this very dangerous mission." He said with a small scowl.

Xian's placid expression suddenly changed.

"I have a duty to protect my people." He replied without so much as glancing at the red panda.

Shifu sighed in exasperation.

"Emperor..." Shifu paused as he tried to find the right tact. "If something happens to you while on this mission, then the empire faces a massive power struggle."

"You forget that I have made Lu Kang my heir. And he has changed greatly for the better since your panda student trained him." Xian said.

"But he isn't of royal blood." Shifu replied. "And you know as well as I do that there are others who desire the throne for themselves. If something happens, then they are bound to start searching for loopholes. Lu Kang not being a blood relative could almost count as one."

"Lu Kang is just as much a part of the family as my father once was." Xian said. "And I made a public announcement that he would ascend the throne upon my passing. I even wrote a will. Several of them in fact. And he is surrounding by loyal friends and equally loyal warriors." He glanced back at Master Eagle Jr. "If those power-hungry buffoons insist on taking the throne, then I'd like to see them try."

Shifu fought the urge to groan. Xian was still as stubborn as when he had once been Shifu's student.

"But Emperor Xian..." He began.

"Stop it, Shifu." Xian said harshly. "I'm joining you whether you like it or not."

"I..."

"Don't make me order you to shut up."

"Alright!" Shifu snapped and slammed the bottom of his staff to the ground. "I will say no more about this! But if anything happens, don't you dare try to be a hero!"

"Fine by me." Xian snapped back.

"Fine!" Shifu stormed off ahead to make sure that the clearing they were approaching would be safe for camping.

Several feet behind, Po and the others stared with wide eyes at the argument they had just witnessed.

"What the heck was that all about?" Po asked.

Eagle Jr. sighed.

"Evidently the grandmaster is still opposed to the Emperor coming with us."

"I don't blame him." Tigress said. "Personally, I would never question the Emperor, but if he gets himself killed then there could be dire consequences for the empire."

"I doubt it." Eagle Jr. chuckled. "I and the Emperor took care of everything before we departed for the Jade Palace. There is no-one other than Prince Lu Kang who can take the throne legally."

"If you say so..." Viper said. A few minutes ago she was slithering alongside Crane and Monkey (the latter was pulling the second cart.), but after hearing the angry exchange up ahead of them, had decided to slither up to her other friends and join in on their conversation. "But I'm getting a feeling that the Emperor may have other reasons for joining us on this mission."

Eagle Jr. gazed at the snake with an unexpectedly saddened expression.

"I share the same suspicion." he said. "Please do not repeat this to his highness, but I suspect that he still blames himself for his father's death."  
"Really?" Mantis asked. "I don't see how. His dad died of natural causes didn't he?"

"Not quite." Po said in an unusually quiet voice. "The previous Emperor was killed in the Great Fire of the Imperial City."

"A coup de tat that went bad." Eagle Jr. said.

"What happened?" Viper asked. "I've never heard of such an incident."

"Well, a lot of people probably wouldn't want to speak of such a thing, so of course you haven't." Po said. "I'm not sure I want to tell the story myself."

"Go on." Tigress said.

"Alright..." Po took a deep breath.

"There was once this group of military goons who got arrogant and power-hungry and thought they could try to take over." Po said. "A long time ago, when you and me were still around baby age, they did the thing you usually do when you try to take over: they planned their attack, they invaded the Imperial Palace and tried to overthrow the Emperor. It went horribly wrong for both sides. After a long day and night of fighting, the attempted usurpers and their small army were eventually defeated, but not before they started a fire that consumed most of the palace and eventually spread to the city surrounding it."

"Over seventy houses were destroyed." Eagle Jr. said. "Ninety people died, the Emperor and most of the royal family included. Luckily Prince Xian, the Emperor's son and immediate heir, survived the fire, and therefore the coup failed."

"What a dreadful story." Viper sighed.

"Yeah..." Crane added, who had been eavesdropping with a sorrowful expression.

"Survivors guilt is a terrible thing." Eagle Jr. said. "Emperor Xian must believe that going to the fortress and protecting those soldiers in danger will make up for his failure to protect his family."

"Who knows, this mission might help make him feel better!" Po exclaimed, suddenly becoming his usual optimistic self. "It's a horrible thing, losing someone you care about. Believe me, I know."

" _Everybody's lost someone._ "

Po turned his head.

"What was that, Monkey?"

"Oh, er, nothing!" Monkey called back. "Sorry, I'll shut up now."

Po raised an eyebrow.

Ever since Shifu had briefed them on the situation at the fortress, Monkey was behaving a lot less like his usual cheerful, pranky self. He hadn't made a joke in weeks, he rarely joined in any of his friends' conversations, and he always looked like that his mind was elsewhere.

Not for the first time since this started, Po felt a twinge of concern for his friend, and thought back to a conversation that they had had right before they had begun their journey...

* * *

_Two weeks ago..._

" _What's taking him so long?" Shifu demanded irately as he paced back and forth in front of the entrance to the Hall of Warriors along with the other members of the traveling party. "Po, find out what is keeping Monkey!"_

" _Okay, Master." Po saluted the red panda and made his way to the student barracks where Monkey was taking an unusually long time sorting out the last of the supplies._

_When he stepped into the kitchen, Po found Monkey sitting at the table, staring down at a pair of dao swords lying side by side on the wooden surface._

" _Monkey?"_

_The primate looked up._

" _What are you doing?"_

_Monkey leapt up from his chair with a start._

" _Oh man, I'm late, aren't I?!"_

" _Calm down, Monkey." Po said. "You're only late by a few minutes. What are those swords for, anyway?"_

" _Nothing! They're nothing."_

" _Really? One of them looks an awful lot like the sword Princess Haoxin gave you the other day, except without all the rust."_

" _Po, I said it's nothing."_

" _Is it anything to do with your dad?"_

_The kitchen fell silent. Po realized what he had just said and clapped his paws over his mouth._

" _Mantis told you, didn't he?" Monkey didn't seem that angry._

" _Yes." Po said, his voice muffled by his paws. He lowered them before he continued speaking. "Don't be too mad at him, Monkey. I kinda pressured him into telling."_

" _It's alright, Po." Monkey replied. "I'm actually a little relieved. At least I won't have to tell you myself when the time comes."_

" _Oh..." Po twiddled his thumbs. "So... what are those swords for?"_

" _These belonged to my father. This one..." Monkey picked up the sword on the left. He had the smallest of smiles on his face, as if he was pleased to finally have someone to talk to about certain personal topics. "Was given to my family after all the bodies were collected..."_

" _Bodies?!" Po's eyes widened._

" _Sorry, forget I said that. As I was saying, this one was given to my family. After we completely broke apart when Wu Kong turned to crime, I took this to the Jade Palace and kept it in my bedroom ever since." He put down the sword and picked up its brother, the one which had once been rusted. "This is the other. It was recovered not too long ago, and was passed to Princess Haoxin to give to me."_

" _Ah, now I get it." Po said. After a moment's pause, he sat down in the chair opposite Monkey. "Are you sure you're alright?"_

" _Yes."_

" _You sure?"_

" _Yes."_

" _Monkey, I don't mean to rub it in, but we're going to the place where your dad died. Doesn't that bother you just a little bit?"_

" _No."_

_Monkey looked completely placid. Po, on the other hand, was unconvinced. However, instead of persisting he sighed and got to his feet._

" _Alright, I'll take your word for it." He said. "Are you finished with the supplies?"_

" _No, sorry."_

" _Well I think you'd better hurry up unless you want to gain fifteen minutes of sparring time with Master Shifu. I'll just go and tell him that you're still looking for a few things."_

" _Okay. Thanks, Po."_

_Po turned round. He took two steps, stopped then turned his head._

" _Look, Monkey." He said. "I know you just said that you're okay, but you never know. Your feelings might change once we get up there."_

" _I think I'll be able to take it." Monkey, who had gotten up from his chair to wrap the two dao swords up in a thick sheet, now had his back to Po, so the panda couldn't see his expression. "See you in a few."_

" _Can I say one more thing?" Po asked hesitantly._

_There was a pause._

" _Speak."_

" _Just in case you do get a little bit upset... don't forget that I'm your best friend. If something does happen, you can talk to me. Okay?"_

" _Okay."_

" _Okay. See ya."_

_Po turned back round and started for the exit._

" _Po... put the cookie jar back."_

_Po stopped._

_With a deep sigh, he pulled out the greenish blue jar of almond cookies, turned round, and set it on the table in front of Monkey._

" _You know if we hadn't had that conversation just now I'd kill you, right?"_

" _Yep."_

" _Was this hidden in your pants?"_

" _... Maybe..."_

" _Toss them in the bin and you can bake me a new batch after the mission."_

* * *

Present day...

Po was distracted from his flashback by the sound of the tiniest of rustles coming from the food cart being pulled behind them.

 


	17. Inconvenience

Po frowned and turned his head to look at the food cart. However, before he could become suspicious, Shifu suddenly called from up ahead.

"The clearing is secure. We will rest here for the night."

"Awesome." Po turned away from the cart and quickened his pace. Not only was he exhausted, he was starving.

"You know, Dragon Warrior, I'm a little curious." Master Eagle Junior said as Po made to pass him, forcing the panda to slow down again. "How did you know so much about the incident we discussed just now?"

"I'm a big fan of nearly every Kung Fu master that ever existed." Po replied. "You probably remember that your dad was one of the masters involved in the battle against the attempted usurpers."

"I do."

"Well, being a big fan like I said, I decided to look up all I knew about Master Eagle. I eventually came across a tad bit involving the fire, and being curious I decided to ask my dad. It was weeks before I could persuade him to tell me."

"How come your father knew so much?" Eagle Jr. said.

"His dad had been trading noodles in the Imperial City when the fire happened. Luckily he was one of the survivors."

"Ah, I see." Eagle Jr. said, then looked up ahead and noticed that Crane and Monkey had passed them with the food cart.. "I think we're lagging behind. Shall we catch up?"

"Yeah."

Po and Eagle Jr. quickened their pace and rejoined the others who had already gathered in the clearing.

"Po, glad you could join us." Shifu said sourly, evidently still in a bad mood from his earlier argument with Emperor Xian. "You may get the bean buns out while we set up camp. And do not eat  _anything_  until we've all got a plate."

"Yes, Master Shifu." Po said and headed over to the cart while Eagle Jr. headed over to Emperor Xian.

"Your highness, shall I scout ahead?"

"You may."

Eagle Jr. bowed and then took off.

Meanwhile, Po was leaning over the food cart, pushing crates and bags aside as he searched for the elusive bean buns. After two seconds, he realized that he had eaten the last of them two days ago. After Shifu had explicitly told him not to on pain of death.

"Oh heck." He muttered.

"Is something wrong, Po?" A voice asked to his left.

Po jumped and turned his head to face Tigress, who had suddenly appeared right in front of him.

"Tigress! Oh-er... nothing! Nothing!" He exclaimed.

"Is this what you're looking for?"

Po blinked as the feline held up a small basket full of fresh buns.

"How did you..." He began.

"I figured you wouldn't be able to resist them, so I got an extra batch from Di Tan." She said with a smirk.

Darn. How come Po couldn't be that cunning?

"Thanks, Tigress." Po muttered sheepishly, and took the basket. He was stopped from turning round by a striped paw suddenly grabbing his arm.

"Did you hear something?" Tigress's eyes were narrowed into slits.

Po didn't answer at first, his eyes focused on the warm paw still gripping his wrist.

"Po!"

"Huh? No, I didn't hear anything. Did you?"

"I thought I heard someone sneeze."

"Probably Monkey. He's got hayfever."

"It came from the cart."

"It might be Mantis. You know he can't resist the sesame cookies."

"Hey!"

Po suddenly felt a light pressure on his shoulder, and turned his head to see the mentioned bug glaring at him.

"Okay, so it's not Mantis." Po said. "Are you sure it was a sneeze?"

"Pretty sure." Tigress peered at the cart.

"Yeah, I heard it too." Said Mantis.

"You don't think there's someone in there, do you?" Po asked.

"I don't see how..."

"Okay, then let's check it out. Better to be safe than sorry." Po leaned back over the cart and lifted one of the smalls sacks that contained the apples...

"Hey!" A sudden impatient shout from Shifu made him freeze. "Hurry up with those bean buns!"

"Shifu, we think there may be-"

"I don't want your excuses, panda! Get over here!"

Shifu hadn't called Po 'panda' in a while, so he quickly dropped the sack, retrieved the basket of bean buns and rushed back to the campfire that had already been lit. Tigress gave the food cart a look before following him.

"Master..." She did not sit down with the others along with Po and Mantis. "I have a feeling that we're not alone out here."

"What do you mean?" Shifu asked.

Tigress opened her mouth to reply... and that was when Master Eagle Jr. suddenly flew in out of nowhere, landing in the middle of the clearing in an explosion of dry dirt.

"Master Eagle Jr!" Emperor Xian let out a cry out surprise upon the eagle's startling reappearance. "What..."

He stopped when he saw the aged goose in one of Eagle Jr.'s large talons (Eagle Jr. like the other men in his family, was larger than the average eagle.), panting and gasping and looking like he had flown a thousand miles.

"Di Tan?!" Shifu leapt up from his lotus position. The others looked equally startled. "What in god's name..."

"I found him flying in the direction of our camp like his life depended on it." Eagle Jr. said. "He was very out of breath, but he was able to tell me what he was doing out here."

"Well, what is he doing here?" Shifu demanded irritably. "This is a serious inconvenience!"

"Something hasn't happened to the Jade Palace, has there?" Tigress asked anxiously.

"I think it would make more sense if he told you himself." Eagle Jr. said. "And trust me when I say that you are not going to believe this."

Xian knelt down beside Di Tan, who was lying face down on the ground gasping for breath.

"He looks like he's going to pass out." Xian said worriedly, gently placing a large paw on Di Tan's heaving back. "Is he alright?"

"He's alright, your highness. Like I said, he just needs to get his breath back."

"All the same, I'd like to have him taken care of." He turned to the seven Jade Palace warriors observing the scene. "Do any of you have medical experience?"

"I do." Viper slithered forward, but then Di Tan held out a wing, stopping her in her tracks.

"No need... for that..." He wheezed. "Hang on a mo'..." Very slowly, he got to his feet, with a little assistance from Xian and Shifu. After another few minutes of huffing and puffing, he adjusted his rice hat and started speaking.

"Sorry about that." He said.

"Di Tan, what the heck are you doing here?" Xian demanded, his concern now replaced with worried anger. "Do you know how close we are to the Himalayas?"

"Yes, I do, which is why I wish that I had gotten to you sooner."

"Why? Has something happened at the Jade Palace?" Shifu asked. "Or has something happened in Jinzhou?"

"No and no." Di Tan said. "Pipe down and I'll explain..."

With a deep scowl, Xian and Shifu fell silent.

"You see, I was relaxing with my family as already planned when a messenger goose from the Valley of Peace going by the name of Zeng suddenly turned up at our doorstep."

"And why did this messenger goose named Zeng turn up at your doorstep?" Xian asked.

"Because he was hoping to catch you in Jinzhou, before you began your journey to the Himalayas. Unfortunately he arrived a few days too late."

"You mean he was trying to reach us?" Shifu asked in mild surprise. "But why are you here and not him?"

"By the time he reached Jinzhou he was twice as exhausted as I had been just now. Besides, when I learned from him what the emergency was, I took it upon myself to get the message to you myself. By the time Zeng managed to regain his strength you would have been halfway into the mountains."

"What is this emergency?" Xian asked, beginning to get a little impatient.

"I'm getting to that." Di Tan said. "The reason why Zeng was looking for you was because Mr. Ping sent him."

"My dad sent him?" Po asked in surprise. "Why?"

"Because a little while after you left, he discovered a note in his noodle shop."

"And?" Xian asked with a frown.

"And what?"

"Who wrote the note?!"

"Don't you want to know what was written in the note first?"

"Oh for crying out, will you just tell us what is going on?!" Shifu snapped.

"You: don't talk to my chef like that." Xian moved his finger from Shifu to Mantis and then Di Tan. "You: wipe that smirk off your face. You: get to the bloody point!"

"Oh yes, I'm sorry." Di Tan said. "The note said that someone is very upset at the way she was being treated concerning the situation, and has decided to take matters into her own hands."

Shifu raised his eyebrows.

"And who wrote this note."

"You know her. The little girl named Su."

The clearing suddenly became deathly silent. Only the crackle of the fire could be heard.

Out of everyone present, Shifu's reaction was the strongest. His eyes widened and his mouth fell half open.

 _No, she wouldn't..._  he thought.  _She didn't, did she?_

"Su!" He barked, making everyone else jump. "Come out here!"

For a few seconds, nothing happened, and Shifu felt a twinge of relief...  _Mr. Ping had been mistaken... Su had surely been out playing for longer than he had expected..._  but then he heard a rustle coming from the food cart. Everyone turned and stared at the little panda girl who looked very sheepish as she poked her head out of the pile of sacks.

"Su!" Tigress exclaimed in utter shock before striding over and lifting the child from the pile. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"I ought to ask you the same thing!" Su retorted, looking uncharacteristically defiant as the striped feline set her down on the ground. Shifu stepped forward, alarm giving way to anger.

"Su, what is this?!" He demanded. "Why did you disobey me?!"

"Shifu, calm down." Po spoke up. "She's just a kid."

"That is exactly why I am angry, panda, so stay out of this!" Shifu shot him a look. "Su, what in god's name are you thinking?"

"And just what were  _you_  thinking, claiming that this was none of my concern?" Su shot back, not intimidated in the slightest.

"This  _is_  none of your concern!" Shifu replied angrily. "This is an extremely dangerous mission and you are just a little girl!"

"I may be a little girl, but I still have every right to know what is going on here!" Su said. "And you had no right to keep this from me!"

"That doesn't excuse the fact that this was a foolish, reckless, and downright stupid thing to do, and-" Shifu stopped. "Were you seriously hiding in that cart all this time?"

"Yeah, I was!" Su replied, as Po walked over to the food cart and indeed found that two of the food crates that had been buried deep in the pile were completely empty. He also noticed a small pile of bottles that looked very full, and picked one up curiously. "I didn't even get out to pee! Don't drink that."

Po quickly flung away the bottle.

"But that is beside the point!" Su turned back to Shifu, her small paws on her hips.

Shifu opened his mouth to retort, but hesitated for a millisecond; despite his outrage he was inwardly shocked that such a young girl could keep up an argument with him without the slightest fear, a feat very few children and even fewer adults were capable of.

"Su, understand that-"

"No, you understand!" Su snapped. Po and Shifu's other students stifled gasps of shock that Su would dare to interrupt their master like that. "I know I disobeyed you, and I know that I'm probably gonna get in big trouble later, but I wouldn't have done this if you and the other grown-ups were just honest with me from the start!"

"Su, what in the devil's name are you talking about?!" Shifu demanded.

"You should know, you came all this way to-"

Su suddenly stopped when she saw the distant mountains over Shifu's shoulder. She stifled a gasp and her angry expression faded.

"W-wait!" She stammered. "Th-this isn't Shidao!"

"Of course it's not, you silly girl!" Shifu retorted. "This is the Himalayas! We're not even in China anymore!"

He was about to scold her some more when Su suddenly burst into tears.

'S-Su?" Viper quickly slithered up next to the small girl.

"I-I'm sorry!" Su cried, her paws raised to cover her leaking eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry,  _I'm so sorry!_ "

"So you should be." Shifu said coldly.

Viper shot him a glare as she wrapped her tail around Su's shoulders.

"Su, calm down." Viper's words did nothing to soothe the child. "What's wrong?"

"I-I made a mistake!" Su whimpered. "I never should have come! I'm so sorry, I didn't know you meant  _these_  mountains!"

"What on earth made you think I was talking about-" Shifu stopped as he was hit by a sudden suspicion. "Su... exactly how much of our conversation in the kitchen did you hear?"

"A-a bit about something h-happening in some m-mountains half way across China." Su sniffled, unable to look Shifu in the eye. "Then I heard someone m-mention the Temple of Heroes, and... and..." Su hiccuped.

"You thought we were talking about your village." Shifu stated, the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks.

" _I thought something had happened to my mommy and daddy and you weren't telling me!_ " Su wailed and sank to her knees, slipping out of Viper's tail in the process, and continued to cry her eyes out.

Shifu stared down at her with a variety of mixed emotions, ranging from pity at seeing the child so miserable, to mild displeasure that he still felt from her insubordination, to shock at her reason for doing so. He eventually settled on an emotion: shame. He should never have been so quick to scold her, and here she was, weeping over a misunderstanding that could have been so easily cleared.

Shifu took a deep breath, knelt down next to Su, and put a hand on her quivering shoulder. She looked up, her gorgeous dark blue eyes narrowed in shame.

"Su, stop your tears. " He said, the anger in his voice now gone, replaced with a gentleness rare even to himself. "It's alright."

"B-but I disobeyed you!" Su sniffled.

"And you had a good reason for doing so..." Shifu replied. "Even if it did turn out to be a misunderstanding."

Su wiped away her tears with the bottom of her vest, though she still continued to look miserable.

"Master Shifu... I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Shifu said. "If it's anyone's fault, it's ours."

This made Su look up.

"W-what?"

"If we had paid more attention to you back in the Valley of Peace, we would have found out sooner that you had misunderstood, and this never would have happened." Shifu said. "For that, we apologize."

Su stared at the elderly master.

"But..." She hesitated. "But I'm the one who stowed away."

"Su, it's okay." To the surprise of everyone, it was Monkey who stepped forward and put a hand on Su's other shoulder. "You... you were just worried for your family."

Xian bit his lip.

"But now I'm gonna get in the way of your mission!" Su cried. "I mean, I can't just walk all the back to the Valley of Peace."

"I could carry her back myself." Eagle Jr. said.

"Absolutely not!" Viper replied. "Su is scared to death of heights. The journey would terrify her."

"In that case, our only option is to allow her to accompany us for the rest of the journey." Xian said with a sigh. "I'm not happy about it either, but it's our only option."

"But what if I get in the way?" Su asked.

"As long as you do as you are told from now on, I don't think that will be a problem." Shifu said. "Besides, once we reach the fortress we can arrange a small traveling party to take you back home. That is, if the Emperor will allow it."

"Permission granted." Xian said. "The sooner she is placed out of danger, the better."

At that moment, Po let out a huge yawn. Everyone gave him a look, and Su let out a small giggle as the panda chuckled back sheepishly.

"As Po so clearly pointed out, it's getting late." Shifu stated. "Once dinner is finished, we will retreat to our tents for the night."

Everyone nodded in agreement and minutes later, everyone was circled around the campfire digging in to their beanbuns.

In the midst of the late night meal, Su, who was sitting in between Shifu and Tigress and still looking slightly upset, hesitated before gently tugging on Shifu's sleeve.

"What is it, child?"

"Um... I'm a little scared." Su said quietly. "From what I overheard in the kitchen, it sounds like something really bad is happened out there."

Shifu decided not to contradict her. She was far too intelligent for that.

"Yes, there is a serious problem. Nothing my students and I can't handle and nothing for you to worry about."

"But..."

"Don't worry." Shifu put a finger on her lips, shushing her. "We have trained for decades to combat threats like this. We are more than prepared for whatever is behind the situation in the Himalayas."

But were they really?


	18. Welcome to the Himalayas

Leaning over the rocky, cracked outcropping that jutted out of the mountainside like a gargantuan thorn, it watched the newcomers emerge from the tunnel that was one of many that stretched through the mountain that loomed over the fortress it was currently laying siege to.

One by one, they stepped out of the darkness of the underground shortcut and into the bright white of the mountain wasteland. Each one it gazed at intensely, taking in the minor and more important details.

First to emerge was a small creature that it first assumed was a rat. A moment later it realized that it was a red panda, a creature seldom seen in Tibet. And not just any red panda, it realized. It had seen him before. In  _her_ dreams.

Second to emerge was a larger animal, a tiger in fine clothing. Again, he was familiar. After him was an eagle, larger than normal, very likely a threat to be eliminated in future. Then there was a goose. A very elderly goose that look nothing like a warrior. What was he doing here, it wondered. Next in line was another tiger, a female. A beautiful one too, though no arousal or attraction was felt. Unlike the male, however, neither it or  _she_  knew her.

After the female tiger came a creature it had never seen before in its life. A black and white round figure that resembled a yin-yang symbol more than anything else. It frowned, unable to decide if the animal was a credible threat. Still, there was plenty of time for it to find out.

After the unknown animal came a much smaller creature very similar to the other, roughly half a head shorter than the red panda. It realized with great surprise that the smaller unknown animal was a child, a little girl. The old goose was one thing, but a child?

It had no time to wonder what a child was doing in this place, when its attention was drawn to the next few animals that emerged. After the child there came an avian, a black crested crane, though it was difficult to tell with the rice hat he was wearing. Then there was an attractive green tree viper wearing a pair of lilies, a common accessory, then finally a golden langour monkey with a praying mantis resting on his shoulder.

Something about the monkey seemed familiar, but its attention was currently drawn to a very recently discovered problem: the tunnel. As already evidenced by the arrival of the newcomers, the tunnel network led directly to the fortress, meaning that even more reinforcements could arrive to defend the fortress, creating an obstacle even itself could have trouble removing. It cursed itself in its native tongue for not realizing this before.

Something had to be done.

Tonight.

* * *

General Tujiu came from the isolated mountain village of Shounao Huiyi in the northern area of China. At the age of nineteen he had been drafted to the Imperial Army, which at the time had been in heated conflict with a enemy country, the war occurring so long ago he couldn't remember which one. Two months of training, harsh discipline, bloody knuckles and broken bones, and then he had been sent into battle dressed in his very own armor, armed with his very own sword, drenched in his very own sweat. It was in his first battle that he'd made his very first kill: an enemy archer that had gotten to close to the main action and paid the price. Since then Tujiu had done many things, some great, some not so great, some terrible, both to survive and to rise through the ranks. He'd won battle after battle and sliced and diced dozens of the enemy. He'd laid low in sand pits and snow banks, praying that the enemy wouldn't discover him. He'd drank his own sweat and chewed bark peeled from trees. It was that kind of determination and ruthlessness that made him what he was today: Commander-in-Chief of the entire Chinese Army, promoted at the remarkably young age of thirty seven some twenty years ago.

Had he not lost his mind, the infamous General Tsin would have been proud.

And so when General Tujiu looked down from his perch on one of the higher roofs of the fortress and saw Emperor Xian and the Jade Palace warriors approaching, he did not panic. Instead, he flapped his large obsidian black wings, swooped down from the roof, flew through the window of the map room and touched down on the floor. Colonel Sao, a tibetan fox, was already standing at the doorway, waiting for him.

"What's the report?" Tujiu asked.

"No deaths have been reported in twenty seven hours." Sao said. "Oh, and I was going to inform you that the Emperor and the warriors have arrived, but I assume from your expression that you already know this."

Tujiu's scowl deepened. Was his displeasure really that obvious?

"What are your orders?" Sao asked.

"Give them a royal welcome. The Emperor's among them after all. Then tell them that I will meet them in my private mess hall." That was what he called the large empty chamber that had been converted by the army into his own personal dining area.

"Yes, sir. Pardon my asking, but have you figured out what you are going to say to the Emperor?"

Tujiu's eyes narrowed, but not at Sao's question. Of course Xian would be demanding an explanation for his disobedience the minute he greeted him.

"Fortunately, yes I have." He said slowly. "Bring them to my private mess hall and I will greet them in a few minutes. Dismissed."

Sao swiftly left the room, leaving Tujiu to stare down at the map riddled with red marks that looked more like blood than ink.

* * *

Perfectly perched on a flattened area of the side of the largest mountain in the Himalayas, the fortress had been built like a number of smaller buildings piled together to form a massive yet symmetrical complex, with the smaller 'towers' standing on both sides like twin siblings standing by their parent. The main building contained hundreds of rooms, half of which were passageways leading to the various 'sections' of the fortress. Surrounding the three structures was a stone wall that strongly resembled the great wall that stretched across china's border, completely circling the fortress and forming a defense which only the strongest of explosives would be able to penetrate.

Rectangular shaped and pure white in color, each 'section' of the main structure seemed to serve a different purpose. In the largest section, the place which you first entered upon stepping through the gigantic double doors that desperately needed oiling, was an entrance hall still as glorious as it had been long ago, the walls, floor and pillars made entirely of blood red garnet and decorated with golden lanterns. Various doors and archways led to the many areas of the massive building.

In one area on the left hand side there was the largest mess hall Tujiu had ever seen. When they had first entered the fortress the square shaped tables had been neatly piled one on top of the other and engulfed in cobwebs. In the kitchen, the tables and stoves had been covered in three inches of dust, the utensils tidied away in the storeroom. No food had been left to rot and stink up the place, much to the relief of Tujiu and the soldiers, who fortunately had brought their own lifetime's supply. Months later, the mess hall was now being used for its purpose, the cobwebs cleared away and the tables scattered around the hall where the soldiers could sit and eat.

In another area on the right was a library of all things. Scrolls and books covered the numerous shelves that dominated the place, taking up an entire three floors. Many of the scrolls and books that had been quickly inspected contained writing and symbols no-one had ever seen before, let along read. Not wanting any lowly soldiers to read the scrolls and books and discover something they shouldn't, Tujiu had strictly forbidden anyone to enter the library, though he himself occasionally felt giddy at the thought of the knowledge that must be contained within. On the third floor of the library there was a circular archway that led onto a wide balcony, where they discovered a massive circular device made entirely of metal. Tujiu knew it as one of those ridiculously complicated astronomical devices that supposedly allowed you to see shapes in the stars and predict the future.

Near the base of the main structure was a large bathhouse that looked like it hadn't been used in decades. When they had first discovered it, the water had been drained from the gorgeously constructed pits where many years ago the soldiers and servants of the fortress had washed themselves. In a higher area of the bathhouse was an even more luxurious room that looked like it had been built only for the ruler of the fortress to use.

Above the baths was a series of guestrooms that months before had been covered in dust. Since the soldiers rested in the army camp stationed right next to the fortress, the luxurious rooms were still empty, but recently cleaned in preparation for the Emperor's arrival. Another bedroom, separated from the others but far larger, looked like it had once belonged to the previous ruler of the fortress, but very soon would have the Emperor himself as its occupant. Tujiu had taken residence in a small section close to the library, where a study and map room was located.

The final section of the main structure, located at the very top of the building, was a throne room accessible only through a series of passageways and stairways stretching from the entrance hall. By far the most beautiful room in the entire fortress, the throne room bore an unusually strong resemblance to the hall of warriors at the Jade Palace, with a few differences: the throne room was twice as large. Instead of a moon pool a golden throne draped in red silk stood at the far end of the hall atop a short series of steps, and in place of columns six jade dragon statues lined the walls. The Emperor himself would be jealous.

The two smaller towers had very different purposes. The right hand tower featured a prison that made Chorh-Gom look like a children's play area. Said prison was currently unoccupied but still looked like it would even the strongest of prisoners. Above the prison was a slightly smaller room that was at first thought to be a torture chamber but later turned out to be a foundry. The machines were still in remarkably good working condition, and Tujiu was still disappointed that they had no metal to try them out with. There was also a small armory that was unfortunately empty. At the very top of the tower was a mechanical room filled with giant gears which were currently still and dusty. No-one could guess what it was for.

The left hand tower was far less grim, more like the world's biggest warehouse. A massive armory mercifully full to the brim with weapons of all kinds sat at the bottom, while above was what once had been for food storage. At the top was a slightly smaller room full of crates of all sizes. Though most of the crates had been carefully transported to the storeroom that had been built right next to the army camp, Tujiu had strictly forbidden anyone from opening them, not wishing to unleash anything unpleasant.

Though the library was surely a wondrous find, the most interesting areas of the fortress were not located above ground. Three weeks after the army took over the fortress, a group of soldiers had made a surprising discovery in the library: after one of them accidentally knocked a wall lamp, a doorway had opened in between two bookshelves. Upon inspection, they had found a passageway that led to a network of corridors deep beneath the main structures. Two areas of great significance had been found: a treasure vault that made many of the soldiers who knew its existence very happy, and a tomb, a dusty dull stone chamber with a single coffin. Though just a handful of coins from the treasure would make one seriously rich, Tujiu was more interested in the tomb, for deep down he sensed that there was something far greater than gold hidden in that chamber... somewhere...

But wondering would have to wait, for at that moment the door to his private mess hall opened. In walked Colonel Sao, along with Emperor Xian, Grandmaster Shifu, the Furious Five, and a panda who could only be the famous Dragon Warrior.

General Tujiu put on his best 'smile', and bowed.

"Greetings, your highness." He said. "Welcome to the Himalayas."


	19. White Fortitude

Emperor Xian did not return Tujiu's greeting. Instead, he said;

"What's the death toll so far?"

Tujiu fought back a scowl. As much as he hated to admit it, Xian had good reason to be angry with the general.

"None dead today." He said simply. "Would you like to sit down?"

"As a matter of fact, we would."

Xian sat down on one of the wooden chairs circling the table in the centre of the room, and silently gestured for his companions to do the same.

"Nice place." A panda who could only be the Dragon Warrior said as he sat in between Grandmaster Shifu and Master Tigress.

"It is a magnificent architecture, isn't it?" Tujiu asked. "If you didn't know it was centuries old, you'd think it was brand new. I've even given it a name:  _Báisè de Gāngyì_."

"'White Fortitude.'" Shifu translated. "Well chosen."

"So you're General Tujiu, right?" The panda asked with a grin. "It's awesome to meet you." He stood up from his seat to salute the general then sat back down.

"And you must be the Dragon Warrior." Tujiu said after returning the gesture out of politeness. At first glance, the panda didn't look like much, but years of experience had taught him to never judge a book by its cover. "Meeting you is a far greater honor. Would you mind introducing me to your comrades?"

"Oh yeah!" Po opened his mouth to say more but then Shifu held out a hand, silencing him.

"I will do the introductions, Po."

Po's face fell, but sealed his lips and allowed Shifu to introduce each of the Furious Five. When he reached the last two companions, Tujiu nearly choked on his rice wine when he saw the elderly goose and the small panda girl.

"What are  _they_  doing here?" He asked in disbelief. The girl shrank under his glare.

"Never you mind that." Shifu said gruffly. "There had been a misunderstanding. Don't ask for the details."

"I probably wouldn't want to know anyway,"

"They won't be here long." Xian added. "First thing tomorrow I'm having a small traveling party take them back home. Am I right, Di Tan?"

"You always are." Di Tan replied.

"Anyway, these are Di Tan and Su." Shifu said. "Su here is also a student of the Jade Palace."

"Hello." Su said meekly. Tujiu didn't bother looking at her.

"Right, now that introductions are over, why don't we get down to business?" Xian asked. "I trust that you are well aware of why we're here?"

"Yes." Tujiu muttered, eyes narrowed. Of course he knew. He even had a message sent to him about it. Twice.

"Good." Xian turned to his companions. "I must ask that everyone aside from Master Shifu and Master Eagle Jr. leave this room. We and the general are going to have a little chat."

"Oh man, I can't wait to take a look around this place!" Po was grinning as he stood up again.

"Colonel Sao, give them a tour of the fortress and then take them to their rooms." Tujiu said, reminding himself that the panda had been chosen by Oogway himself, so was not to be judged too quickly.

Colonel saluted him, then quietly led the warriors and two citizens from the hall. Once the door was shut behind them, Xian leaned forward on the table, brown eyes narrowed into slits.

"You owe me an explanation, Tujiu." He said with a voice that could cut through stone. "Why have you disobeyed my orders to retreat from the site?"

Tujiu took a deep breath before answering. This was it. His future as commander-in-Chief depended solely on whether he was able to convince Xian and Shifu of his story.

"My deepest apologies, your highness." Tujiu said. "I confess, I received your orders. Believe me, I wished to obey, but with my men venturing out into the wilderness and never coming back, I didn't dare take the entire army away from the safety of the fortress. Even with the great number we still have, it was too risky, especially since this bandit gang consists of such strong warriors."

"Bandits?" Shifu stared at him. "After all that has happened, you honestly still think that mere bandits are behind this?"

"Of course." Tujiu replied. "I mean, what else could it be?"

Shifu bit back a crude answer.

"If you were worried about any more of your men getting killed, then why didn't you say so in the first place?" Xian asked testily. "Why didn't you reply to my messages? Do you realize that if I was anyone else I'd have you thrown in jail by now?"

"I do realize that." Beneath the table, Tujiu clenched his talons. "And I did reply. Did you not receive my message?"

"I didn't." Xian said. His glare had not softened since their conversation started.

"The message must have been intercepted." Tujiu sighed.

"Really? That's your excuse?!" Xian suddenly stood up, his eyes suddenly blazing with tea-colored flames. "Dozens of lives have been lost because of your brilliant idea to bring a battalion of men into a freezing isolated area without planning ahead!"

"Emperor Xian..." Shifu said. Xian ignored him, his burning gaze fixed on Tujiu.

"Why did I trust you, Tujiu?" Xian's voice was rising. "Why did I let you talk me into this? I could have seen that this would end badly, why did I do it?!"

"Xian!" Shifu raised his voice higher, effectively bringing silence back into the room. "Please calm down."

Xian glanced at Shifu, then back at Tujiu. After about a minute, his furious expression softened very slightly and he sat back down.

Tujiu had been completely unfazed during Xian's outburst. At first glance, you'd probably have thought that he was smirking. But then the smirk was gone and replaced with a slightly remorseful expression.

"Your highness, I truly am sorry for this insubordination." He said quietly. "And I take full responsibility for the fatalities, but wishing won't bring them back." Xian's face hardened again at this statement, but Tujiu continued. "I don't mean to overstep my bounds, what with you being the emperor and all, but now is not the time to be assigning blame."

"Emperor Xian, he's right." Shifu said quickly when the tiger opened his mouth to reply. "If we want to end this crisis quickly we have to work together. And that means not starting an argument five minutes after we arrive."

At first, Xian looked like he was going to snap at Shifu. Instead, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, mentally counted to three, and when he opened his eyes again his expression was calm.

"You're right, master." He said. "I apologize for my outburst. But I still find Tujiu's explanation hard to accept."

"I don't blame you." Tujiu said 'sadly'. "Nothing I can say will change the fact that I made a mistake. But believe me, I never intended for any of this to happen."

"Is there anything you can tell us about whoever is behind these deaths?" Shifu asked.

"Only that it is very likely a bandit group consisting of one if not more very strong animals located somewhere in the western area of this mountain." Tujiu said.

"That's it? After all this time that's all you have?" Shifu was incredulous.

"I'm sorry, but so far no-one has faced these bandits and lived to tell about it."

"Fair enough. You said the culprits were likely located in the western area. How can you be sure."

"Most of the fatalities occurred in that region. I'm very sure."

"Do you have a plan?"

"I'm afraid devising a fool-proof plan to combat this kind of enemy has been unsuccessful so far."

"Then let us begin discussions..."

* * *

"Wooooaaaahhh!" Po's jaw dropped and his arms dangled limply as Colonel Sao led the group from the baths to a three-storey room even bigger than the Jade Palace library. "Is this the biggest library you've ever seen?!"

Before anyone could stop him, the panda rushed to the nearest bookshelf, pulled out a scroll and almost tore it open in his excitement.

"Po, be careful!" Viper scolded.

" _The History of the Gilded Emperor._ " Po read aloud with a huge grin. "Oh man, only three copies of this are in existence!"

"Put that back." Tigress scowled.

Po put the scroll back, but then a second later rushed to the next shelf along.

" _How to make Hypnotic Elixir._ " He glanced at his friends. "Was Scorpion here?"

"No." Colonel Sao replied.

"Oh good."

"Please be careful with these artifacts, Dragon Warrior." Sao said. "They are very old and potentially very fragile."

"Oh yeah. Sorry." Po's excited expression faded a little as he replaced the scroll with much more care than before. "Hey, what are those?" He pointed to a series of shelves on the opposite side of the first floor of the library.

"Those are books, Dragon Warrior."

"Really?" Po's eyes widened in wonder. "Is it alright if I take a look?"

"If you are careful, then I don't see why not."

"Awesome!"

While Po rushed to examine the books, Crane finally gave in to temptation and flew up to the third floor. After a minute, he called down to the others.

"Wow, there's a whole section on calligraphy and painting here! I'm definitely liking this place!"

Intrigued by Po and Crane's interesting findings, the other warriors (and chef) slowly ventured into the library. While Colonel Sao stayed by the entrance in silent observation, Di Tan travelled to the far end of the first floor where he discovered an entire shelf full of cooking scrolls. Delighted beyond measure, Di Tan grabbed an armful of scrolls and sat down on a nearby bench. Colonel Sao was sure the aged goose was secretly copying the scrolls' contents on the back of his apron, but seeing as they were harmless recipes he said nothing.

Mantis and Monkey, meanwhile, decided to leap their way up to the second floor (ignoring the stairs entirely) where they found every kung fu master's wildest dream: the fortress's very own Thousand Scrolls of Kung Fu. As Mantis examined a scroll on nerve attacks, he vaguely wondered why Monkey seemed far more interested in the mythical creatures section.

Viper, in the meantime, had been busy examining a scroll depicting a love story on the first floor when Crane suddenly called down to her from the third floor, claiming to have found an outdoors observatory. Somewhat surprised that Crane had known about her very secret interest in astronomy when no-one else did, Viper was now currently exploring the large balcony with barely suppressed pleasure, especially when Crane mentioned an astronomy section that would teach her how to use the massive circular instrument.

"There's going to be a full moon tonight." Crane had said. "Maybe with a little luck we'll finally see the moon rabbit!" Viper had laughed merrily at that statement.

Back on the first floor, Tigress had decided to stick with Su, so the little girl wouldn't be all by herself in this massive place. After a little curious browsing, she and Su had discovered a section on fairytales and children's stories and were now sitting side by side on a bench, having a pleasant time reading about the moon rabbit and the qiulin and the warriors of old.

They were just about to begin a tale involving the mythical bird fenghuang when a cry suddenly echoed throughout the library.

"Hey, what's this?!"

Everyone looked up from their reading.

Still standing by the shelf full of books on the first floor, Po was now staring at a large opening that had suddenly opened up in the wall. Colonel Sao's eyes momentarily widened, but a moment later he relaxed as he realized that Po had merely discovered the  _other_  secret passage.

"What happened, Po?" Tigress called from across the hall.

"I pulled on a book and this door suddenly opened!" Po exclaimed, slightly freaked by the sudden occurrence.

"My apologies, Dragon Warrior." Sao stepped forward. "I forgot to tell you about the second library."

"Second library?" Monkey asked as the rest of the Furious Five gathered in the main hall. Di Tan remained where he was.

"Its a slightly smaller library full of very unusual scrolls and books."

"What do you mean by unusual?" Mantis tilted his head.

"Have a read and you'll see what I mean."

"What the heck's this?!" Po suddenly cried out again. The panda had already entered the second library, which consisted of the same architecture albeit with two floors instead of three, and had pulled out a book. "This writing's all weird."

Everyone gathered around the panda, and saw the unusual symbols written across the pages.

"Any idea what this is?" Crane asked.

"I'm afraid not." Sao replied. "Every single one of these books is written in a language different from ours. So far we have found seventeen different languages in these pages."

"Is there any way to translate them?" Viper asked. Next to her, Su stared up at the book Po was holding. She could not see the pages, but when she looked straight up she could clearly see the front cover.

"Not without expert help."

"Sorry, but there's no way anyone is going to figure out what this says." Po flicked through the pages. "Look at this! What kind of language is this supposed to be?"

"Latin!"

Po stopped flicking and looked down at Su.

"What did you say?"

"Latin." Su pointed at the book in Po's paws. "That's the language."

"Is that a kid's slang for gibberish?" Mantis chortled.

"No. That's the name of the language."

"Are you sure?" Sao frowned as he gazed at the writing.

"Yeah." Su said. "Look on the cover. It says  _Naturalis Historia_. Written by someone named Pliny the Elder."

Su suddenly realized that everyone was staring at her like she had grown seven heads.

"Uhhh... that's what it says."

They stared.

"I'm probably wrong, though."

They stared.

"Please forget what I said!"

They stared. Su began to get scared by the expressions on their faces.

"Su..." Tigress paused. "How did you know that?"

"Don't you all know latin too?" Su asked in confusion.

They shook their heads.

"Oh, you never found Oogway's library did you?" Su exclaimed as realization dawned on her.

"W-what library?!" Now the grown ups were confused.

"You know, the library behind the palace library!" Su said. "I found it a month after I came to the palace. It was behind a door hidden behind this big statue."

"Woah, how come we never knew about this?" Mantis exclaimed in disbelief.

"I'm sorry. I thought you guys already knew." Su replied sheepishly.

"What's in this library?" Po asked, a huge grin beginning to grow on his face.

"Well, you remember that time when you told me how Master Oogway had travelled all over the world before coming to China and creating kung fu?"

Viper, the warrior who had told her the tale, nodded.

"Well, in this library there's a load of stuff he collected on his travels. Some of it's really old. I found a few scrolls saying how to translate loads of languages into mandarin. I thought it was really cool, so I decided to learn them. I've gotten the hang of four languages so far."

"Oogway had a collection of stuff from his travels around the world?" Out of everyone, Crane looked the most amazed. "We've got to take a look at that when we- woah, wowowoah wait,  _backup_!" He suddenly yelled. "Do you mean to say that you learned four languages in only six months?! How's that possible, you're a seven year old kid!"

"Actually I'm turning seven in two months." Su said. Crane's jaw dropped, and Su started to get angry. "I'm not lying! I did find a library and I did learn four languages!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Sao said suddenly with a slight sneer. "Do you really expect us to believe this nonsense?"

Viper, Tigress and Po gave Sao dirty looks, but it was Su who replied. Only it was not words of mandarin. A series of strange words, unintelligible yet nothing like gibberish floated from her lips. Only a few words were spoken, but it was enough for everyone to start staring at her again.

"That's greek for 'Are you calling me a liar?'" Su said in normal mandarin, a look of indignant anger on her cherubic features. "Do you want me to say it again in japanese?"

Sao merely stared back at her. Su's sudden foreign outburst had left everyone looking like they had been smacked in the face with a rake.

"Guys..." Po said, breaking the silence. "We have a child prodigy among us."

Tigress was about to speak when Master Shifu and a pair of soldiers entered the room.

"Ah, there you are." Shifu said. "I've just finished discussions with the emperor and the general."

"You have a plan?" Tigress asked.

Shifu shook his head.

"Without more information on these killers we have little to no clue how to combat it." Shifu said. "Our first task will be to  _find_  more information."

"What do you want us to do?" Viper asked.

"According to the general, the culprit appears to be based in the western area of the mountain. I want you to scout the area, and report back in one hour."

"Yes, master." The six warriors bowed to their master and headed towards the exit. Shifu suddenly held out a hand to stop Tigress.

"You stay here. Viper, you stay with her." He said. "Scour this library and see if you can find any helpful information. Su can help you."

"Yes, master." Tigress fought to hide her displeasure at being left behind as she, Viper and Su headed away from the exit and towards one of the first floor shelves of the first library.

* * *


	20. Holy Crap on a Rice Cracker

Half an hour into their short journey, Po, Monkey, Mantis and Crane stopped for a rest beneath a large naturally shaped slap of rock that jutted out over the ground, making for a decent shelter. As he was painfully aware of, Po was the main reason for this brief stop, his stamina depleted after thirty minutes if trekking through the thick snow. Normally the others would have gone ahead while he rested, but considering the current circumstances it was decided that leaving him by himself was not a good idea.

And so here they were, sitting on cold rocks scraped clean of snow and starting up conversation. The fortress in the distance was in plain sight, a white structure stationed in the center of an even whiter background.

"As much as I hate to admit it, but I don't think we'll find anything helpful up here." Crane said. "I mean, how many soldiers ventured out here and either came back with nothing or as corpses?"

"A lot." Monkey said. "But more lives could be lost if we don't find out what these guys are and stop them. Or him. The least we can do is try. Besides, Shifu would kill us if we disobey him."

"I know, I know…" Crane replied as he wiped the snow from his hat. A minor snowstorm had started while they were traveling and had yet to dissipate, managing to turn Crane's normally dull yellow hat bright white. "I just feel that maybe it's not a good idea to go too deep into the mountains. There's a huge chance that we'll be ambushed just like the soldiers."

"And then the remaining soldiers will be screwed." Monkey replied with an unusually somber expression. "The deaths of four kung fu masters, one of which defeated Tai Lung, a cannon, and an undead warrior, would basically kill what little hope we have left."

"I say we rest for a couple more minutes, then keep going up the mountain for ten more minutes, then stop and head back." Crane said.

"Fine by me." Monkey replied. "What about you, guys?"

"Good idea." Mantis replied.

"That's a plan." Po said as he rubbed his aching feet.

"How're you doing, Po?" Mantis asked. The bug was currently perched on the panda's shoulder. "Do you think you're ready to get going again?"

"In a minute." Po replied, wiggling his toes inside his shoes. "My feet are still throbbing."

Mantis stifled a sigh of exasperation and exchanged glances with Crane. Monkey merely stared ahead at the white wilderness that was the Himalayas.

Po was taken by surprise. Normally Monkey would crack a joke at his expense that would almost certainly involve food in some way, or at the very least exchange glances with the others. His recent quiet and introverted behavior was getting more and more suspicious every day. Back in the Valley of Peace, round about when they were just beginning their journey, Po had thought that he was just unhappy that he was going to the place where his father had died so long ago.

But now the panda wasn't so sure. He'd lived with the normally mischievous primate long enough to know when something wasn't right with him. No, he wasn't bottling up his emotions like Tigress often did. There was something else. What was Monkey hiding?

He was distracted from his thoughts by a wet popping sound. Mantis was pulling the cork from a small bottle he had pulled from Crane's pocket.

"What's that?" Po asked.

"Just a drink to ease the tension a little." Mantis replied. "We haven't had a light hearted conversation since we got here."

Po frowned.

"I don't know…"

"It's not alcoholic." Crane said quickly. "Just a little something to remind us of home, since we're probably going to be here for a while."

All the same, Po was suspicious as he was handed the bottle. When he took the tiniest of sips, the cool sweet peach juice ran over his tongue like silk, bringing back memories of a tiny sapling just beginning to bud on a small hill overlooking a lush green valley.

A small smile now on his face, Po nodded in thanks and passed the bottle back. Mantis took a sip then handed it to Crane. Monkey declined the bottle, which Po also found odd, so Crane slipped it back in his pocket.

"So what do you guys think about that?"

"About what?" Po looked at Mantis.

"Our very own resident genius." The bug replied. "Who knew Su was cute  _and_  smart?"

"Yeah, tell me about it!" Po rubbed his arms as he shivered slightly from the cold. It was a good thing he had brought the shirt Haoxin had given him. "I mean, when was the last time a seven year old kid learned four languages in just few months?"

"I don't think there  _was_  a last time!" Mantis said. "Su, the linguistic genius! Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

"Not just linguistic!" Po grinned. The pleasant conversation they were starting was acting like a tonic, easing their worries and overall giving them a reason to lighten up. "Remember all those times Su read a scroll at super speed?"

"And beat your dad at Xianqi?"

"And aced those tests in the school down in the village?"

"Whoa, hang on." Crane spoke up. "Not to be the spoilsport here, but don't start creating a fuss about this in front of Su. You could give her a swelled head."

"No way, she's way to sweet for that." Mantis scoffed.

"We gotta find out what else she's good at." Po rubbed his chin in thought. "What about medicine?"

"Or the abacus?"

"Or nerve attacks with your mind?!"

"Or learning the meaning of life?!"

"Or how to paint with your tongue?!"

"Oh brother…" Crane muttered. He shifted on the stone he was sitting on, turning away from the others and turning his attention to the snowy landscape that seemed to stretch for miles in every direction. The wind blowed, snow flying everywhere like it was rain…

Or at least it was a moment ago. As he looked out from beneath the protruding rock that was their shelter Crane realized that the mild storm had dissipated while they were conversing. What was left was silence. A heavy silence that for some reason made Crane feel uneasy. His sixth sense, refined through years of kung fu experience, suddenly kicked in. A 'kung fu chill', as Po called it, rose up his spine and the avian was unable to ignore it. Said 'chill' often saved you from an arrow in the back or an assassin leaping down from above.

Monkey also seemed a lot more interested in the landscape than the excited conversation Po and Mantis were still in the middle of.

"Right, here's what we're gonna do…" Mantis was saying. "When we return home, we find the best mahjong player in the Valley then pit him against Su. See who wins."

"He won't be hard to find." Po replied, a grin still on his face. "Xianqi isn't the only game my dad's good at."

"What about those two friends of his? Mrs. Gow and Mr. Yeung?"

"Possible… possible…"

Crane was no longer paying attention, his gaze now completely focused on the mountainside that was far too quiet.

* * *

"Ah, there you are, Master Shifu."

Shifu looked up from the scroll he had been examining. General Tujiu was busy in his study while Emperor Xian was resting in the room that had been prepared for him. Having nothing better to do himself, Shifu had taken to searching the massive library along with Tigress, Viper and Su, searching anything that may prove useful in their mission.

But now he was being approached by Di Tan.

"What is it, Di Tan?" Shifu asked politely.

"There's something I need to talk to you about?"

"Will it be quick? I'm in the middle of important business at the moment."

"No, it won't take five minutes of your time."

Shifu sighed and put the scroll back on the shelf.

"Well?" He asked.

Di Tan leaned in.

"I hear you are needing help bonding with your daughter."

Shifu nearly knocked over the staff that was leaning against the wall.

"How did you find out about that?" He hissed.

"Mr. Ping put a little P.S. in the scroll he had Zeng send."

Shifu fought the urge to smack his forehead.

"Why did he bring you into this?" He groaned. "This is personal, and not important right now."

"I know, I know, but I am a very experienced father." Di Tan replied. "I have a daughter too, and I know how difficult it can be for a parent of the opposite gender to bond with their child."

"I don't doubt you, but this particular situation is… somewhat different." Shifu's ears flattened against his skull. He looked up at the second floor where Tigress and Su were reading a scroll together. "I'm sorry, but I think you may not be of much help on this."

"Oh come on!" Di Tan exclaimed, only to be furiously shushed by red panda. "Give it a try. In cases like this, it's never too late to set things right. Think about it."

Di Tan waddled off before Shifu could reply.

* * *

Monkey wasn't surprised when Crane suddenly said;

"There's something out there."

Po and Mantis stopped talking and turned their heads to the landscape, eyes narrowed as they searched for whatever Crane had spotted.

"Where?" Mantis asked. "Is it a soldier?"

"Uh, no." Crane replied, looked embarrassed. "I meant that I think something's out there. I didn't actually see anything."

"Oh right."

Both he and Po relaxed, but kept searching.

"It feels like something big. Pretty big."

"I don't see anything." Monkey said, unwilling to get his hopes up after so long.

"Why don't you fly up and take a look, just to be sure." Po said to Crane. "We'll be on the lookout down here."

Crane nodded. The four guys moved out from beneath the rocky shelter so Crane would have enough room to safely take off.

When he did, Monkey said;

"I'll head a bit higher myself."

While Crane circled ahead, wisely stay close to the group, Monkey leapt up onto the side of the jutting rock. The stone was freezing cold to the touch, but it wasn't slippery an provided many a good handhold.

"You two see anything?" Po called up.

"No, not yet." Crane said from thirty feet in the air.

Monkey didn't answer as he looked in a different direction, the east side of their position.

He lifted a free hand to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun, which was just peeping out from behind the clouds.

As always, snow was everywhere, with the odd rock dotting the otherwise perfect white plain, and then that dark blot situated in between two large rocks in the distance… a blot with legs and arms… what the heck was that?

Monkey bit his lip. After fifteen years, was this finally  _it_?

"Monkey!" Po yelled, confused that Monkey hadn't answered him. "What do you see?"

Monkey didn't get a chance to answer.

A boulder the size of a cart suddenly flew through the sky out of nowhere, barely missing Crane and exploding into chunks on the protruding rock fifteen feet from Monkey's position. Rock and snow rained down on the panda and bug below, who couldn't do anything but raise their arms over their heads in an attempt to protect themselves.

"Holy crap on a rice cracker!" Mantis yelled while Po kept his arms raised, a look of blank shock on his face. "What the hell was that?!"

A second boulder soared right at Crane, who squawked as he moved to dodge. The boulder just missed him as it flew by, taking the hat off his head. It hit the protruding rock just like its predecessor had done, nearly burying Po and Mantis in snow and stone. Monkey leapt down and pulled Mantis from the rubble as Po climbed out.

"Screw this, I'm outta here!" Mantis said. "Shifu can do whatever he wants with me!"

A third boulder hit the ground five feet away as the bug leapt up on Po's shoulder as the panda started running, away from the shelter and down the snowy hill they had ascended minutes earlier. Crane swooped down until he was a foot above their heads, following Po as he flapped his wings rapidly, trying to get as far away from their attacker as possible. Monkey couldn't help but run after them, all four heading in the direction of the fortress, which now seemed so far away. No fighting. No retaliation. All they could think off was getting the heck out of there.

Only Monkey looked back toward the shelter before they were too far away. a dark tall shape, the same color as the rocks, stood beneath the now half-destroyed protruding stone, and then they were too far down the hill and the shelter and his father's killer were out of sight.


	21. The Cork

In the Fortress of Báisè de Gāngyì, no-one was sitting idle.

General Tujiu was currently in his study with Colonel Sao and engaging in suspiciously discrete discussion that Shifu strongly suspected concerned Emperor Xian's distrust in him. The Emperor was in his room, and it wasn't until Viper was sent to check up on him and returned with a red face that they learned that he had propped the bed against the wall and was currently doing a series of pull-ups. With his vest off. Viper and Tigress were still in the library looking up any information that may concern the mysterious threat, while Su had been told to take a break and was now in the cookery section with Di Tan, studying a wide variety of recipes both learned and never heard of before. Master Eagle Jr. was currently absent, having been back to the Valley of Peace to inform Mr. Ping that Su was safe and would begin her journey home first thing in the morning.

As for Grandmaster Shifu, the red panda was currently sitting in the outdoors observatory, perched on his staff in the space between the gargantuan astronomical instrument and the balcony edge, deep in meditation.

Or at least that was what he wished.

_"After all, it is wonderful that she became such a beautiful, king hearted young woman, considering how she was raised."_

Curse that devil goose woman!

Shifu scowled, his eyes still shut.

Not for the first time, he deeply wished that Princess Haoxin hadn't made that comment. If she hadn't then he would have been able to fully focus on his meditation as well as formulate a plan to combat the current menace. He shouldn't be frustrating himself with worried thoughts of Tigress and how in the world he was going to set things right between them. It was incredibly inconvenient.

But the thoughts and worries would not go away.

And no, it wasn't entirely because of a certain goose.

The truth was, while he now had inner peace, he was still not entirely  _at peace_. Tai Lung had not been the only mistake he had made, that was already obvious. Though the snow leopard was gone, another mistake still remained. A mistake that was probably the worst of them all. A mistake that had to be remedied before it was too late.

But how?

"Master Shifu?"

Shifu opened his eyes, glad for the distraction. He turned around on his staff and looked down at Su.

"What is it, Su?" He asked.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you." Su said. "But Mr Di Tan sent me to tell you that he wants us all in General Tujiu's private mess hall because dinner is going to be ready soon. Everyone else is there except for Po and the other guys."

"Well I sent them away for an hour, and there are still twenty minutes left before they are due to return. I will accept their lateness for once."

"Should I ask Mr. Di Tan to set some dinner aside for them?" Su asked.

"Very well."

Shifu allowed the child to lead him through the library, and as they walked, he said;

"Did you or the others find anything significant in the library?"

"No, but the library's so big we haven't looked in all the possible places yet." Su replied. "Do you want us to keep looking after dinner?"

"Tigress and Viper can, but you don't have to." Shifu said. "After dinner, you may do as you wish."

"Can I see the throne room?"

"I don't see why not as long as someone accompanies you. Do you know where to go?"

"Yeah. Through the corridor at the far end of the entrance hall."

Shifu frowned unexpectedly.

"Master Shifu?" Su asked nervously.

"Why would you want to go see the throne room?" He asked. "I thought a child of your age would rather go play or read in the fairy tales section." Indeed, the thought of a child doing something different entirely was very odd.

"Well, I'm going back home tomorrow and I want to see a bit more of the fortress before I go." Su replied. "Why, is that a bad thing?"

Shifu shook his head, regretting that he had made the unintentional implication.

"No, it's not." He said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything."

"It's okay. Some of the kids at my village thought I was a little odd too."

"I never said that."

There was a pause as the two silently decided to change topic.

"I was thinking of looking up mythical creatures in the library." Su said as they exited the library and made their way through one of the many corridors. "Would that be unhelpful?"

"Why would you want to do that?" Shifu asked.

"Well, you know that demons and ghosts such as the Mongolian Fist Demon and the Jian Shi are real." Su replied. "So one of those, or a different magical creature, is kinda plausible if you think about it."

Shifu thought about it.

"You may right." He eventually said. "I don't see the harm in researching mythology if it gives results. The mythical creatures section is on the second floor, if I remember correctly."

"Thank you, Master Shifu. Oh look, we're here!"

Indeed, Su and Shifu had just stepped into the private mess hall, where Tigress, Viper and Xian (vest on) were seated at the single table in the room. Di Tan was in one corner of the room, stirring a large pot that was nearly as big as him.

"Where's the general?" Shifu asked as his students bowed in greeting.

"He said he wasn't hungry." Tigress said. She narrowed her eyes. "Master, is something wrong?"

Shifu realized he was looking at her funny, and quickly put on a casual expression.

"I'm just concerned about current events." He replied as he sat down and gestured for Su to do the same.

"We all are." Xian said. "But the sooner we find out who this killer is, the sooner we can stop them. Once dinner is over, I want you all to resume your search for information, am I clear?"

"Yes."

"Crystal clear."

"We will return to the library the moment dinner is finished."

" _Rrrrrrrrggghhh!_ "

Silence fell in the mess hall.

Shifu, Xian, Su, Tigress and Viper turned to stare at the elderly goose standing by the pot.

" _Nrrrrrrrgggghhhhh!_ "

Di Tan was currently bent double, one wing wrapped around a small bottle, the other pulling at the cork. He paused, and then-

" _Rrrrraaaaaaagggghhh!_ "

"What in god's name are you doing?" Shifu demanded.

Di Tan glanced up at the group sitting at the table.

"The cork of this sauce bottle simply refuses to give up the ghost." Di Tan sighed.

"Do you need any help with that?" Xian asked.

"No, no. I'm fine.  _Rrraaaaahhhh!_ "

"Oh for crying out loud… Excuse me." Shifu got up and strode over to the grunting goose. "What are you doing?" He hissed.

"I'm helping you with Tigress." Di Tan whispered, still hunched over the bottle. " _Rrrrggghhh!_ "

"What?!" Shifu nearly shouted. "How is grunting like a gorilla with a head cold going to help me?"

"I'm making you look good in front of your daughter." Di Tan replied, then grunted again as he tugged at the cork. "It worked all the time with my children when they were younger. To put it simply, by doing something impressive in front of your child, you impress them and therefore make them respect you and eventually love you even more."

"Seriously?" Shifu stared at him. "You really think me popping a cork is going to help me with Tigress?"

"Just give it a try."

"I'm not going to do something so foolish."

"I'll keep grunting like a gorilla with a head cold if you don't try.  _Naaarrrgghhh!_ "

"Oh for… give me that bottle before you give yourself a heart attack!" Shifu snatched the bottle with a disdainful expression and pulled on the cork.

He frowned.

He pulled again.

And again.

He drew all his strength into the cork.

It still didn't budge.

" _Neeeaaarrrggghhh!_ " He grunted.

"Do you need any help, Master?" Tigress asked.

Shifu suddenly became aware of everyone staring at him.

"I do not need any help, thank you very much!" Shifu replied, but instead of trying again he slammed the bottle down on the table and turn to Di Tan. "Thank you so much for humiliating me in front of my-"

_Pop!_

"Here you go, Master Shifu."

Shifu turned around and found Su holding out the sauce bottle… with the cork in her other paw.

"Su?" Di Tan was equally astonished.

Before Shifu could even react… BAM… a panda, a monkey, a crane and a praying mantis suddenly burst through the double doors.

Tigress, Viper and Xian had been so taken by surprise that when they leapt to their feet they actually braced for combat. But then they recognized their comrades and relaxed slightly.

For a few seconds the guys merely stood there, breathing heavily from what must have been a very long run back to the fortress. Other than their gasping, the room was silent. Su had dropped the bottle in fright, the shards and sauce creating a dark red flower on the floor.

Eventually, Shifu asked;

"What happened?"

It was Po who answered.

"We were… attacked…"

"What?!" Tigress took a step forward in alarm.

"Are you serious?" Shifu demanded, his heart skipping one or two beats when he realized what they had said.

"We were taking a rest beneath this big rock…" Crane spoke up, the first of the four to regain his breath to some extent. Shifu realized that his hat was missing. "Boulders started flying at us out of nowhere."

"Who was it?" Xian said furiously. "Who attacked you?"

"No idea." Mantis panted. Out of the four he seemed to be the most freaked out. Monkey, on the other hand, was calm, something Shifu thought odd. "The boulders just came out of nowhere. There was nothing we could do except run for it."

"It was definitely no rockslide." Monkey said. "Those boulders were deliberately thrown at us. Nearly killed Crane twice."

Viper let out a hiss.

"You definitely did not see who attacked you?" Shifu asked.

"No, we didn't." Po replied. "We're sorry, Master Shifu. We would have fought back, but we kinda panicked."

Before Shifu could reply, a humorless laugh filled the room. Everyone turned to face the source of the laughter: General Tujiu had emerged from his study, Colonel Sao at his side. His eyes were filled with mirth.

"What could  _possibly_  be funny?" Xian snarled.

"Oh nothing!" Tujiu said. "I just find it ironic that the people sent here to 'help' us were the ones who ran away with their tails between their legs at the first sign of trouble."

"Excuse me?" Tigress growled, her temper flaring up at once.

"Come over here and say that!" Mantis glared at the vulture in contempt.

"Calm down, you two." Shifu said. "General, I think you'd do well to show a little more respect to my students."

"A little difficult considering that they just openly admitted to running away from a fight." Tujiu replied, giving a condescending glance to the four men. "I thought you were supposed to be warriors?"

Shifu knew right then and there that he didn't like the vulture one bit.

"Stop talking, Tujiu!" Xian snapped suddenly, wiping the smirk from the general's face. "The enemy is outside this fortress, not right here in this room!"

"Yes, of course." Tujiu replied almost mockingly. "I apologize."

"And from now on, I want you to treat these warriors with a little more respect, is that clear?"

"Affirmative."

"Good." Xian glared at Tujiu for a little longer before turning to Shifu and his students. "I trust none of you are hurt?"

"Nah, we more or less came out in one piece." Po replied.

"That's a relief." Shifu said, and he meant it. "It's getting late. We should finish our meals and then retire for the night. We can resume investigations in the morning and Su and Di Tan will be returned home."

"Oh, speaking of those two…" Tujiu spoke up. "When we were preparing the guest rooms we were not anticipating two extra guests. It will take a few hours to properly clean and prepare an extra room for those two." As he said this, Su let out a quiet yawn.

"Oh yeah, that's gonna be a problem…" Po rubbed his chin. "General, what are the rooms like?"

"Each room contains two beds."

"I take it me and Tigress are sharing a room." Viper said.

"I'll bunk with Monkey." Mantis said. Monkey nodded in agreement.

"I guess me and Crane are gonna share a room too." Po said. "But what about Su and Di Tan?"

"Di Tan can take my bed." Crane said. "I prefer to sleep on a mat, anyway."

"Thank you, Master Crane." Di Tan said. "But what about Su?" The girl in question wasn't really paying attention to the conversation, instead busying herself cleaning up the remains of the bottle she had dropped.

"There's just Shifu's room left, but that has only one bed." Tujiu looked he couldn't care less.

Shifu shot him a look before speaking.

"Su can take my bed." He said.

"What?" Su overheard and looked up sharply. "But Master Shifu…"

"There's nowhere else for you to go, so no buts." Shifu said, but gently. "Besides, I was planning to spend the night on a mat myself." It was true. Instead of using a bed like he had done in his younger years, Shifu now spent his nights meditating until the sun rose.

"Then everything's settled." Xian said. "Now let's get dinner started before we all pass out from sleep-deprivation. Di Tan, if you may…"

 


	22. The Monochromatic Creature

The new moon camouflaged its dark fur against the dark of deepest night as it effortlessly climbed the wall of the main fortress. The pure white stone was cold and smooth, but nothing it couldn't ascend. It kept to the shadows, pausing every time its keen hearing detected the sound of a sentry guard passing below, even thought it was now roughly two hundred feet up and still climbing. It should reach the guest rooms soon. Each time it looked up, the small balconies came closer and closer.

It knew it shouldn't be here right now. Determining the threat of the newcomers was less important than dealing with the 'shortcut', but it had to know more about these people, especially the black and white male it knew next to nothing about. The fact that it would soon face a creature it didn't know how to fight unnerved it a little, so the sooner it found out more, the better.

It reached the guest rooms. It stopped beneath the first balcony along the line. If its instincts were proven correct then they would arrive very soon.

Sure enough it heard a dull click of a door opening.

"This is your room." Colonel Sao (it recognized his voice) opened the door of the guest room.

"Thanks a lot!" A new voice let out a loud yawn as it heard two of the newcomers step inside. It heard the lumbering footsteps of a large creature and the tapping of talons on the floorboards. It must be the black and white creature and the avian which had very recently lost its hat to a boulder.

"Wow, neat room." The person who had yawned said.

"Di Tan, are you coming?" A second voice asked. It was a strange nasally voice. A third series of footsteps followed the two into the room, evidently made by webbed feet. The elderly goose, of course.

"Goodnight, students." A rough, deeper voice said. It sounded like it belonged to an old man. The red panda, perhaps. "I expect you both to be up at the crack of dawn to continue investigations."

"Goodnight, Master Shifu." There was another click as the door was closed.

"Right, you heard Master Shifu. Let's get some sleep." It heard the sound of something being dragged across the floor. There was a series of soft sounds and creaks as the three climbed into their beds.

"Oooooooh mama, are these beds comfy." The first voice moaned. "Goodnight, guys."

"Goodnight, Po." Said the second nasally voice. There was a soft rushing sound, like someone blowing out a candle.

"Goodnight, Dragon Warrior." A third voice, the goose said. And all was silent.

Minutes passed. The darkened guest room was silent save for the deep breathing of three figures sleeping soundly.

Carefully, slowly, it poked its head over the balcony.

The avian was standing in a typical bird's sleeping position on a thick mat in the middle of the floor. The black and white creature was lying on its back on the right hand bed, the goose in the left. All three were unaware of being watched as they slept.

For a moment, a brief moment, it considered killing them. It considered stepping into the room and killing all three in three seconds. The crane and the goose had hollow bones, it wouldn't take one swipe to end the threat they posed. The panda's neck it would snap like a toothpick, no matter how thick the muscle and fat surrounding his spinal column was.

No. It was too risky.

But then again…

The panda sat up in bed as the avian lifted his head. It stifled a snarl of surprise as it ducked beneath the balcony again.

"Right, it's about time we talked about the elephant in the room." The voice it now understood belonged to the crane said. "And no, I don't mean the large decorative figurine on the bedside table."

"You're right, let's go into the bathroom." The first voice said.

It figured they didn't want to disturb the still sleeping goose.

There was a noise, albeit a careful quiet one, as the monochromatic round creature and the crane stepped into the adjacent bathroom and shut the door closed.

Curses. It couldn't hear what they were saying now, and it didn't dare risk entering the room.

With a soft growl of disappointment, it shimmied its way along the fortress wall and stopped beneath the second balcony. It heard nothing but deep breathing. A quick peek over the balcony showed the female tiger and the green tree viper. It would learn nothing here, so it moved on to the third balcony. Here it found nothing but sleeping figures, this time the monkey and the praying mantis.

Again, it felt a flicker of recognition as it gazed upon the monkey. It  _knew_  it had seen him somewhere before, but where? It hated to admit it, but its memory was not what it had used to be.

There was nothing to learn here either, so it moved on to balcony number four. This time, when it looked inside, it found the small child sleeping quietly, a tiny lump in the middle of the one large bed in the room. One small paw was clutching a golden circular object. The object was half hidden beneath the bed, so it couldn't see much detail. Sitting in a lotus position on the floorboards among a couple of small candles was the red panda, his eyes closed and his breathing rhythmic. A long staff lay by his side.

"Inner Peace…" The red panda murmured, but not so loud as to disturb the child. He evidently wasn't sleeping. Staying here any longer wouldn't be a good idea.

It had learned nothing useful about the newcomers. Coming here had been a waste of time. It was time to leave the fortress and focus on the top priority.

If the black and white creature was indeed a significant threat, it would have to find out first hand.

Mildly annoyed by its lack of success, it began its descent down the fortress wall.

* * *

Su woke up with a slight gasp and turned her head towards the window.

Shifu's ears pricked as he sensed her movement and turned to look at her.

"Are you alright, Su?" He asked.

"Did you hear something, Master Shifu?" The child asked nervously. "It came from the balcony."

Shifu shook his head.

"I'm sure you were just dreaming, Su." He said soothingly.

"I wasn't." Su said firmly. "I was just falling asleep when I heard something coming from the balcony."

Shifu hadn't heard anything strange, but all the same, he asked;

"What sort of noise was it?"

"At first I thought it was the wind changing." Su explained. She showed no signs of making up as she went along. "But then I realized that this sound wasn't consistent with wind. It sounded a lot like breathing."

"Couldn't it have been me you heard?" Shifu asked, remembering his meditative breathing.

"I already told you, it came from the balcony. You were sitting at the foot of my bed, so it couldn't have been you." When Shifu raised an eyebrow, she started to get annoyed. "I'm not making this up!"

"I never said you were, Su. If you want, I will take a look."

Su nodded, still looking slightly peeved.

Shifu turned and walked towards the balcony, deciding to do a thorough search just in case Su had indeed heard 'breathing', or so she had called it.

There was nothing on the small balcony. He leapt onto the stone fence and peered over the edge. Nothing there.

He made to leap back onto the floor when he saw something caught in a crack in the stone by his left foot. He leaned down and pulled it free.

It was a small chunk of dark fur.

It was still warm.

 


	23. Watchfulness

As he sat in the large bed, he looked over at Crane, who to the panda's surprise had also awoken, his head no longer tucked beneath his wing and both feet on the floor.

"Right, it's about time we talked about the elephant in the room." Crane spoke quietly but furiously. Po raised his eyebrows and pointed to the bedside table. "And no, I don't mean the large decorative figurine on the bedside table."

Po lowered his finger and glanced at Di Tan, who was still fast asleep in the other bed.

"You're right, let's go into the bathroom." Po whispered, secretly wishing that he wasn't about to leave his totally warm and comfortable bed. But still, something needed to be discussed now.

As silently as he could, Po lifted the thick covers and climbed out of bed. Luckily the boards didn't creak as he and Crane stepped into the adjacent bathroom the same color as the bedroom (different shades of green, not as tacky as it sounded). Po sat down on a small stool in the room as Crane shut the door and turned to him.

"Look…" Crane paused, his eyes narrowed. "You and I both know we have the same problem."

Po nodded, but then a moment later said;

"Just in case you're talking about something completely different, what?"

Crane set his beak and blinked several times, as if he was resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Po couldn't figure out what was wrong.

"I'm talking about you and me both being in love with a woman!"

"Oh, that…" Po glanced up sharply. "Wait, what?! Everyone knows you're in love with Viper, but what makes you think I'm in love with Tigress?"

Crane suddenly looked smug.

"Firstly, I've seen the way you look at her whenever Viper manages to talk her into wearing something other than her red vest. Secondly, I know all about your little 'tea party' the night before we left the valley. Thirdly, I never said you were in love with  _Tigress_."

Po's eyes widened as he realized his mistake. His eyes turned away from Crane and he pursed his lips.

"I hate you." He muttered. "Okay, so I am in love with Tigress. So what?"

"So…" Crane paused again. "Ever since the Temple of Heroes debacle our minds have been half-distracted by our respective crushes. And since we're in one of the most isolated places in Asia and very likely to be killed by whatever attacked us this afternoon… what are we going to do about the distraction?"

There was a minute's silence as Po stared at the avian, trying to figure out what he was getting at.

"Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question, but what do you mean by 'distraction'?" He was relieved when Crane didn't react with frustration again.

"I mean that this is probably going to be our most dangerous mission yet, so we can't be wasting time worrying about girls." Crane said. "So what do we do? We can't just forget that we're in love!"

"Jeez, don't fluff your feathers, Crane." Po said, mildly taken aback. "Isn't it usually me who freaks out about these things?"

"I'm sorry, Po, but I did nearly die today. And I'm terrified that I might do something stupid and get Viper killed." Crane glared at him indignantly. "What do you suggest we do to make sure we don't get distracted during this mission?"

Po turned his gaze to the ceiling as he thought. The stone ceiling was the darkest shade of grey, two shades lighter than the floor and furniture. He was aware of Crane staring at him, as if he was hoping he could get an answer just by looking at his chin.

"Why don't we just let it go and do what we normally do?" He eventually said.

"What?!"

"Think about it…" Po stood up from the stool. "If we worry too much about not getting distracted by love, then that's gonna be a pretty big distraction in itself, isn't it? If we do our best to stick to our normal mission routine, then…" Suddenly his train of thought was gone. "Dang it…" He muttered as he tried to remember.

"You mean it's best if we just act natural." Crane said.

Good. The bird got it.

"Not just act natural,  _be_  natural." Po said with a relieved grin. "As long as we remember the top priority, everything will be fine. And once we get back to the valley, we can woo our respective crushes to our hearts content!"

"Presuming we get back to the valley in one piece." Crane muttered, his eyes on the large bathtub.

"Lighten up." Po said bluntly and without a hint of emotion. "Do you want to go back to bed and forget we had this conversation?"

"Sure. Your secret is my secret."

_Speaking of secrets…_

"Hey, Crane?" Po spoke, stopping the avian mid-turn when he made to head for the bathroom door.

"What?"

"Have you noticed anything weird going on with Monkey lately?" Po inquired. "Anything at all?"

"Nope, other than his obsession with those dao swords he brought with him." Crane replied. "Why, is there something wrong?"

Po opened his mouth to answer… but hesitated.

No, if Monkey knew something about the killers, he wouldn't keep it a secret from his friends. He wouldn't do that. He was Po's friend.

No, scratch that. He was Po's brother.

"No reason." Po said non-chalantly.

Crane gave him a look before leaving the bathroom.

Po followed him a moment later, but before he could return to his awesome bed he heard the softest of footsteps coming from the corridor outside.

Who would be walking around at this hour?"

"Who's that?" He heard Crane whisper as he returned to his mat.

"I'll check it out." Po crept towards the door. As he passed the sleeping Di Tan he found himself again thankful that the floorboards didn't creak.

He peeked out into the corridor. He looked to the left. Nothing. He looked to the right. A couple of doors down, Shifu was standing in front of Monkey and Mantis's door. Po was about to step into the corridor and ask what he was doing when the red panda rapped on the door with his staff.

One minute passed.

The door opened.

"Master Shifu?" Po heard Mantis's tired voice. "It must be midnight by now. What are you doing here?"

"I apologize for disturbing you." Shifu said. "May I speak with Monkey?"

"Uh… sure, I'll get him in a sec."

Po couldn't see what was going on from his position, but a moment later heard Monkey's voice at the door.

"What do you want me for, Master?"

"Mantis, could you leave us to speak privately?" Shifu asked.

"Okay. Goodnight." There was the slight flutter of wings as Mantis retreated into the guestroom.

What was going on, Po wondered.

"Is something wrong?" Monkey asked.

"There is something I wish to speak with you about." Shifu said. The room was dimly lit by small lanterns, so Po couldn't see their expressions.

"About what, Master?" Monkey sounded genuinely confused. And just as tired as Mantis.

"About what happened to you and the others today."

Po heard the door creak slightly.

"We already told you what happened, Master." Monkey said. "We were ambushed by flying rocks. Po and the other guys can testify to that."

"I already know all that." Shifu said irritably. The irritation unnerved Po. It wasn't like Shifu to be annoyed by anyone else other than the panda. "I'm more concerned about what you didn't tell me."

There was a heavy pause.

"I beg your pardon?" Monkey asked.

"You saw something just before you and the others were ambushed." Shifu replied.

"I told you we didn't see anything."

"Don't give me that!" Shifu snapped suddenly, making Po jump even though he was twenty feet away and barely able to hear what they were saying. "Po told me about what happened after dinner. He said you climbed up the rock to keep a lookout, and then you acted like you saw something. A second later Crane was almost killed by a boulder."

Po winced inwardly. He had forgotten about his little chat with Shifu earlier.

"I didn't see anything." Monkey replied firmly.

"What also bothers me is how you acted when you returned to the fortress. You were too calm after the attack for my liking. You still are." Now Po could sense anger slowly beginning to rise in the red panda. It was so obvious it scared him. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Look, even before I came to the Jade Palace I'd seen and experienced a lot of things even Tigress didn't!" Monkey said with equal anger at the accusation. "You know darn well what I'm talking about. So getting boulders flung at me doesn't really freak me out as much as it used to. Now let me get some sleep."

Po blinked. Never in his wildest dreams had he expected Monkey to talk back to Shifu like that.

As Po looked on, Shifu and Monkey glared at each other in silence. Then Shifu sighed and stepped away from the door.

"Fine. I'm sorry I disturbed you. Goodnight."

Po heard the door close.

He froze when Shifu, instead of heading back to his own room, turned and walked straight towards the panda, his expression one of frustrated concern.

_Oh rice balls._

"Er…" Po gulped as Shifu stopped right in front of him. "How long did you know I was here?"

Shifu tilted his head.

"Do you really need me to answer?"

Po shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have eavesdropped."

"I'm not angry, Po."

"Are you sure? You looked like you were about to yell at Monkey just now."

"Hmmm…" Shifu's ears flattened against his skull. "Speaking of Monkey… do you have any idea what is going on with him?"

Po glanced over Shifu's head at Monkey's door before answering.

"Well, all I know is that his dad died here in the Himalayas when Monkey was a kid." Po said. "That's all I know, honest."

Shifu stroked his beard, his eyes narrowed in thought.

"Are you okay, Master?" Po asked.

"I'm fine." Shifu said, but then a minute later asked; "Po, are you sure you are telling me everything? I'm not accusing you, it's just that the last thing I need is my own students lying to me."

"Master Shifu, I swear on my dad's noodle cart that I'm telling you everything I know." Po said, placing a paw on his heart to symbolize how truthful he was being.

Shifu didn't reply.

"You know, Master, maybe you shouldn't worry too much about Monkey." Po said carefully. "There's always the chance that he's just acting strange because we're in the place where his dad died, and has nothing to do with whatever attacked us today."

Shifu and Po gazed at each other.

"You're right." Shifu said eventually with another, less agitated sigh. "Finishing this mission is the top priority. I can worry about Monkey later."

"That's a good idea. Whaddya say we head back to bed now?" Po asked hopefully. His eyelids were getting heavier by the minute and he was about to yawn in three seconds.

"Also a good idea." Shifu replied. "I told Su I wouldn't be gone too long anyway."

"Goodnight, Master." Po saluted him.

Shifu saluted him back and turned and walked back down the corridor.

Po yawned, stretched his arms and stepped back through his own door, hoping that for everyone's sake Monkey was indeed telling them everything.

* * *

General Tujiu was perched on the highest roof of the main fortress, gazing ahead at the mountains that surrounded the remarkable architecture. The new moon cast near complete darkness over the Himalayas, rendering the distant mountains nearly invisible. But Tujiu had been trained for decades to see through the inkiest black, and even from this distance could make out certain details on the mountainside. Such as the ruined rock outcropping where the male Jade Palace warriors had been ambushed, one of the boulders still embedded in the snow. Or the several markers dotted all over the landscape. Or the cave entrance Emperor Xian and the warriors had emerged from during their journey to the fortress of White Fortitude. Far down in the army camp situated just outside the outer wall of the fortress, small orange lights flickered as the campfires slowly died out.

Tujiu was currently perched on this isolated spot because he needed time to deal with the emotions that had arisen when the warriors and the emperor had arrived. Frustration at Xian's meddling. Condescension at the male warriors' cowardly reaction to the ambush that afternoon. Fear that he would soon lose his position if things didn't start changing for the better soon. All emotions very unhelpful in the crisis at hand.

Now was not the time for sentimentality. If he had any hope of the situation ultimately ending in his favor, then he would have to keep his emotions in check. Even if the Grandmaster and the Emperor were both breathing down his featherless neck. Not that he could blame them, he admitted to himself. But still, their intrusion into his fortress was annoying to no end.

Fifteen minutes of meditation later, Tujiu decided that he had out in the cold for long enough. The wind ruffled his dark feathers, reaching his skin and making him shiver slightly. He flapped his wings as he prepared to take off…

And folded them against his sides again. Not because he wasn't tired, but because as he had flapped his wings, his eyes had caught a hint of movement on the snowy mountainside, an estimated eleven miles from the fortress.

It wasn't a soldier. The patrollers never travelled this far from the fortress or the camp.

Tujiu narrowed his eyes and leaned forward on his perch as he searched for whatever he had seen. After a few seconds he found it again, and was perplexed as the dark shape ascended the rocky wall above the entrance to the tunnel network.

In front of Tujiu's keen eyes, the shape reached out with one long arm, did something to the rock, then leapt down as part of the rock wall came crashing down, completely covering the cave entrance in a matter of seconds. From this distance, the rockslide was silent, but Tujiu figured the noise must have been colossal to the creature.

Tujiu should have done something. Flown over there and tried to stop it. Warned the others. Instead he lowered his head and smiled.

Despite his earlier decision to suppress his emotions, he found a new one rising within him: respect. The creature had realized that the 'shortcut' was a liability, and had dealt with it in a way so that it would take days to clear. Now the chances for reinforcements or escape were less than zero. It was intelligent. And strong. A very bad combination for its enemies. Enemies like Shifu and Xian. And Tujiu himself if he underestimated the creature any longer.

"Lesson learned." Tujiu muttered.

It also confirmed what Tujiu had suspected for a while: it wasn't trying to scare them away.

As Tujiu looked on, the creature stood in front of the buried entrance for a few seconds, then began travelling west along the mountainside. Tujiu's eyes followed it as it reached a steep slope free of snow and began climbing, eventually disappearing into the rock.

"Game on." Tujiu said.

When he took off from his perch and flapped down towards the window of his private quarters, he was still grinning.


	24. Ember Snow

Po had slept in.

He had realized that the moment he woke up, pushed himself into a seating position and spotted the empty mat and second bed.

The two doors that led to the small balcony were currently shut, in order to keep the cold out, though Po didn't remember shutting them. Perhaps Crane or Di Tan had gotten up in the middle of the night when they decided that they weren't quite used to the Himalayan climate. The closed doors meant that the room devoid of daylight. The only reason Po could see that he was alone in the room was because the two bedside lamps had been lit. The elephant figurine on the bedside table was illuminated only on one side, and what Po could see of its face stared at him with blank golden eyes that made him think of the blind beggar he occasionally gave money to back in the Valley of Peace.

Feeling uncomfortable, Po reached out and turned the figurine so it was facing the opposite direction. Then he looked back at the empty bed and mat.

Po felt both annoyed and dismayed. Everyone knew that Shifu dealt out the harshest punishments for sleeping in, and Crane and Di Tan didn't even think to wake him up?! This was so unlike them that Po likened it to Mr. Ping giving out free bean buns. Not just any bean buns, the buns that were not about to go bad.

And to think it was usually Monkey who liked to make Po suffer.

Once Shifu was done with Po, the panda would tend to his wounds and then teach Crane the price for inconsideration: a prank he had been reserving for monkey involving hot peppers and a jug of water.

Dang, was that bird going to  _scream_.

Deciding to just get up and get Shifu's punishment over with, Po climbed out of bed. The floorboards were so cold he could feel it through his shoes, which he had neglected to remove the night before, as always.

There was a foul taste in Po's mouth. He went to the bathroom and poured himself a cup of water. Drank. Swirled the water round in his mouth. Swallowed. He felt better.

As he set the cup down and left the bathroom, he saw something that he found strange. The bedroom door was still shut.

Weird, Po thought. Shifu should have burst in and giving Po a thrashing for sleeping in by now. Or maybe he was planning to confront the panda the moment he left the guest room.

Deciding that the latter was plausible, Po shook off the unease he felt and strode towards the balcony doors. A little fresh air would do him a world of good before the beating Shifu would give him.

Po grabbed the handles with both paws and opened them to reveal…

A dark sky.

It was still night.

Po blinked several times.

It seemed that early dark came early in this part of Asia. It should be morning by now, but the sky was still inky black, with no sign of color indicating dawn approaching, save for the lightly falling glowing orange snow…

Po blinked again.

Glowing orange snow?

Po stepped out onto the balcony.

A second small balcony right above the one Po was standing on meant that none of the weird glowing snow fell and settled on his balcony, so Po cautiously walked up to the rail, and stuck his paw out into the air. It wasn't long before one of the orange flakes floated down onto one of Po's fingers…

Po pulled his paw back with a gasp. The snow was hot to the touch.

"Embers?" Po whispered, more than a little confused.

This shouldn't be possible. There was no sign of a fire from what Po could see, and didn't embers usually float  _upwards_ before coming back down as ash? Or was that totally wrong and Po needed to go back to school?

What was going on?

First Shifu not bursting in to punish him, now embers falling from the sky?

Had he woken up in an alternate universe or something?

Po pushed aside the silly thought and left the balcony. He headed straight for the door. The others had to know about this, if they hadn't already.

"Hey, Master Shifu!" Po said as he opened the door. "Sorry for not sleeping in, but you're not gonna believe…" He froze. "… this."

The corridor was empty. No Master Shifu was waiting outside to punish him.

Po stepped out into the corridor, getting more and more confused by the second.

What the heck was going on?

He could worry about that with the others once he'd told them what he had witnessed.

Figuring that it would be wise to check the other guest rooms before travelling all the way to the mess hall, Po made his way to Monkey and Mantis's rooms.

"Guys?" He called as he opened the door. The guest room was empty. The balcony doors were open, the falling ember snow visible outside.

Po closed the door and headed to Viper and Tigress's room. The guest room was also empty. A minute later Po found the same result upon checking Shifu and Su's room. Po decided not to bother going up to the main bedroom and checking on Emperor Xian.

Okay, so they were all most likely in the mess hall having breakfast, no need to panic. Still, the thought of them not waking Po, especially when they were currently on a mission, was as weird as it could get.

Strange… Po suddenly realized.

It was quiet. Too quiet.

Still, no need to panic.

Po made his way down the silent corridor, hoping that the mess hall was still where he remembered it was. Even without the two towers, the fortress was bigger than the Jade Palace. It was all too easy to get lost.

Even so, Po was able to locate the grandiose entrance hall without too much trouble.

The hall was just as silent as the corridor, and Po felt his heartbeat speed up slightly. The torches which lit the hall were now faded and dying, casting most of the large room in darkness.

Okay… Po thought, rubbing his chin, fighting the anxiety which was beginning to grow. "Which passage leads to the mess hall?"

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps, so faint he couldn't identify who they belonged to.

"Who's there?" He called.

When no one answered, he followed the direction of the sound: the entrance to one of the larger passageways, a jade archway carved with stunning detail. Po couldn't remember where it led to.

He was twenty feet from the archway when he slowed to a stop. Though his ability to see through the dark was poor at best, even with inner peace and all, he could make out a figure just in the archway. A lean figure at roughly the same height as him.

"Tigress?" He asked.

The figure had his or her back to Po.

"Tigress, is that you?"

Po stepped closer.

It  _was_  her. He could see her long tail, which always turned him on, he remembered with a flush in his cheeks, and the redness of her vest.

"Tigress, where's everyone else? You're not going to believe what I just… hey, where are you going?'

The striped feline suddenly walked forward, disappearing into the passageway.

What was she doing?

"Hey, wait, stop!" Po called and started running.

The corridor was large yet darker than the last, but Po kept running.

As he ran, he realized that Tigress had also broken into a run. In the darkness, he could see her arms pumping and her legs speeding along the floor, as if she was doing all she could to get away from him.

That Po thought was the strangest of all.

He was now convinced that something was very wrong with not just the sky, but with the fortress itself. Aside from himself and the feline he was chasing through the winding, dark passages, the fortress appeared to be completely deserted. Since waking up he had not met a single soul before Tigress, and even while chasing her he saw no other signs of life.

Just as he felt his stamina begin to fade, Po saw Tigress turn a corner. It took his five seconds to reach the corner, go round it, and then he was back in the library. The torches here were still going strong, the shadows in the corners tiny and insignificant.

Where was Tigress?

"Tigress?"

The feline had disappeared.

Po ran out into the middle of the ground floor of the library. He look upwards, turned his head left… right… there!

"Tigress, wait!"

Po ran for the spiraling staircase and furiously climbed up towards the top floor, where he had spotted Tigress striding towards one of the bookcases.

By the time he reached the top, panting and sweating and cursing stairs, Tigress was standing in front of the bookcase, her back again to the panda. As Po fought to regain his breath, the feline reach out towards one of the wall torches, and pulled on it.

There was the grinding sound of an ancient mechanism activating, and then the bookcase suddenly slid beneath the floor, revealing nothing but darkness.

Without so much as a glance at her pursuer, Tigress stepped into the darkness and vanished.

"Tigress!"

Po ran towards the entrance.

All he saw was a stone staircase leading down to nothing.

"Tigress?"

Po gulped.

He did not have the faintest idea as to what was down there, and he knew he didn't want to.

But Tigress was down there.

Whatever strange force had made her act so strangely was more than likely down there with her.

Not a chance in hell was he going to give in to the loud voice in his head screaming at him to run away and just leave her in that black hole.

"Tigress!" He called.

The feline didn't answer.

Biting his lip, Po grabbed one of the other wall torches and took his first step into the hole.

"Tigress?"

Two steps.

"Tigress, answer me!"

Another three steps and there an echoing grinding sound as the bookcase slid shut behind him, shutting out the light from the library, and leaving Po with only the light of his torch.

"Oh crap." Po whimpered. He couldn't help it. His heart was thundering so hard it hurt.

The echoes faded into nothing, and then all Po could hear was his heart and his heavy breathing.

Grasped the torch with both paws, took a deep breath through his nose, and continued down the staircase. He kept a steady pace, the speed at which he usually walked.

He hoped that Tigress hadn't gotten too far away.

From what little he could see in the light of his torch, this passageway was narrow with a high ceiling which his light couldn't reach, made from the same stone as the exterior of the fortress.

Po reached the end of the staircase and found himself travelling down a straight corridor with no corners and no forks in the road.

Po had to summon every ounce of chi he could muster just to keep walking.

"Tigress?"

His voice echoed in the corridor, and ended up unanswered.

Po kept walking.

The corridor seemed endless.

Soon his feet began to ache from walking so much.

The corridor opened up suddenly. The sides of the corridor vanished, and Po realized that he had just entered a larger room, equally as dark.

"Tigress?" Po wished she would hurry up and answer.

His torch caught a hint of something shiny. Po lowered his torch to the ground and gaped at what he found.

Mounds of gold, jewels, treasure chests and a variety of other valuable objects littered the ground, orangey yellow in the firelight. Po was in a treasure vault.

Po couldn't help but stagger slightly at the thought of how much this was all worth. But stagger was all he did before steeling himself and continuing through the room. He was searching for something much more important than gold.

"Tigress?" He called again. "Are you there?"

He may as well have been shouting at a tone deaf goat.

Po kept walking, his eyes searching for a hint of striped fur amongst the glimmering treasure, when an enormous pair of double doors brought him to a halt. A large and ferocious looking dragon had been carved on each door.

"Tigress?" He whispered.

He reached out with a shaking paw and grabbed one of the large stone handles.

There was a deafening creek as he slowly pulled the door open, revealing more darkness.

Praying that his torch wouldn't go out any time soon, Po stepped inside.

The stone floor illuminated by the torch was bare and cold. There was no treasure to be found.

"Tigress?" Po called out. "Tigress!"

_Hello, Po._

Po stopped dead.

His torch flickered.

"Tigress?"

_Over here._

"Where?"

_Keep walking._

"Tigress!"

Po broke into a run.

He sprinted through the darkness.

"Tigress, where are you?"

_Slow down._

Po skidded to a halt, right in front of a large stone rectangular object sitting on the floor.

_I'm glad you're here. Finally._

"Tigress?"

_I'm not Tigress._

Po realized that the rectangular object was a sarcophagus.

His breathing became erratic.

"I-if you're not Tigress, then who are you?" He asked.

_I'm a body in a coffin._

"W-w-well I k-know that." Po stammered. His paws were shaking as they grasped the torch. " _What_  are you?"

The room was silent.

"Where am I?"

_A tomb._

"Where is Tigress?"

_She's safe. You do not need to worry about her._

Po's eyes narrowed. He took a step forward towards the sarcophagus.

_I have done nothing to her._

"Where is she then?"

_In bed, dreaming of childhood._

"What do you mean?"

_That wasn't Tigress you were following._

"Wait, are you saying that was an illusion or something?" Po stepped back. "Why did you lure me here? What's going on?"

_A lot more than you think. I lured you here to give you a warning._

"A warning?"

_Do not go to the western region._

"You mean the place where the killer is hiding?"

_Yes._

"Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"No."

Po whirled around when he heard the voice coming from behind.

Right in front of his face was a demon.

"Holy!" Po leapt backwards, the torch flying out of his paw and disappearing into the darkness as if it had never existed.

Po scrambled to his feet, utterly blind in the darkness. He was gasping in terror now, his paws stretched out in front of him as he searched for a way out.

He ran forward, eventually collided with solid wall.

Panicking, feeling with his paws, Po quickly made his way along the wall, trying to put as much difference between himself and the demon as possible.

Where the hell were the doors?!

He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. It wasn't furry and it wasn't scaly.

His blood froze and he let out a tiny squeak.

"Monkey lied, Po." He heard the demon speak right next to his ear. "He knows more than he's telling you."

Then he felt the demon put both hands on his head.

A second later his neck was snapped like a toothpick and he knew nothing more.

 


	25. The Bringer of Bad News

Po sat bolt upright.

His heart raced in his chest and it took a moment for him to realize that he was hyperventilating. He forced himself to slow down his breathing.

After a few moments he lifted a shaking paw to his throat.

His neck was still intact.

It had been just a dream.

He was still alive.

Taking deep breaths through his nose as he struggled to calm himself, Po looked up from the cold stone floor he was sitting on and found himself staring at a wall full of bookshelves.

He was in the library. The top floor to be exact. And if his memory was correct, he was sitting with his back to the bookshelf that concealed a secret passageway.

Po blinked slowly. Had he been sleepwalking while he was dreaming? Was the secret passage with the treasure vault and the tomb real?

Was the demon that had warned him and then murdered him real?

Po clenches his paws into fists at that last thought.

He was suddenly aware of a presence to his right.

He turned his head and saw Crane sitting by his side, staring at the ground, as pale as the snow that covered the Himalayas.

"Crane?"

The avian jumped with a small gasp. He turned to stare at Po.

"Po?"

Po stared back.

"What are you doing here?' He asked.

Crane looked at him with wide eyes.

"What are  _you_  doing here?" He asked.

Neither of them spoke again for a few moments.

"Po…" Crane eventually said. "Did you by any chance…"

"Yeah."

"And did you see…"

"Yeah."

"And did it…"

"Yes."

Silence again.

"Just a coincidence, right?' Po asked, almost hopefully.

It was a while before Crane answered.

"Yeah…" He whispered. He looked like he was trying to convince himself as well as Po. "Just a coincidence."

"Ah! Master Shifu, I've found them!"

Po and Crane jumped and turned towards the stairs. Su was standing right at the top, pointing at them while looking down at something below her.

That something soon turned out to be Shifu, who quickly ascended the steps and stepped towards the two warriors with his lips pressed into a thin line.

"What are you two doing up here?" He demanded. "We've had the entire fortress up looking for you!"

"W-we're sorry, Master Shifu!" Po stammered as he and Crane scrambled to their feet and quickly saluted the grandmaster. "We seriously have no idea how we got here!" His heart was still racing from the nightmare, and he put his paw over it in a futile attempt to slow his heartbeat down.

What he had said was mostly true: it was true that in their dream they had walked all the way to the spot they were standing in just now, but whether or not they had sleepwalked was very unclear.

"Both of you really have no idea how you got to this spot together at the same time?" Shifu was clearly unconvinced. Su merely yawned; it was evidently still very early. Through the entrance to the outdoors observatory, the sky was still dark indigo.

"Yeah!" Crane said hastily. When he saw the look in Shifu's eyes, he added. "We're not lying, we swear!"

"Yeah!" Po said.

Both of them fell silent at once. They knew that their behavior just now had not helped them in the slightest.

"Do you really expect me to believe that?" Shifu stepped forward, his staff raised threateningly. "Tell me the truth, or so help me…"

"Master Shifu, no!" Su suddenly cried, stopping the red panda in his tracks. "I think they're telling the truth!"

Shifu slowly turned to face her. Po and Crane stared at the little girl standing by herself on the top of the stairs.

"Excuse me?" Shifu asked in a non-threatening manner.

"I don't think they're lying." Su said calmly.

"What makes you say that?" Shifu said testily, but not superciliously. He respected Su too much for that.

"Well, if you look at their faces, then you'll have noticed that both of them are making eye contact with you, and it's a well known fact amongst the law enforcement that avoiding eye contact is usually a sign of lying." Su spoke, one small paw pointed at the two warriors, her blue eyes gazing into Shifu's. "Plus, neither of them are making exaggerated movements such as scratching their ears or touching their faces, and if you didn't notice, Po touched his heart with his open paw while explaining that they had no idea how they got here, something a liar is unlikely to do."

Po looked down at his paw, then back up at the girl with a stunned expression. Shifu was blinking very slowly. Su continued to speak, looking utterly innocent as her words shocked all three adults into near-speechlessness.

"If you're still not convinced, both Po and Crane used contractions when talking, which makes what they said likely to be truthful. Also, Crane directly denied lying by actually saying the word 'lying', when a liar would simply imply answers. Also, neither of them used distancing language."

"Distancing language?" Crane asked in a tiny voice.

"It means using an indirect statement implying an answer." Su explained with no sign of condescension. "For example, if you said 'why would I do such a thing' instead of 'I didn't do it', then that's a sign of lying. But neither of you did that, so it's very likely that you're telling the truth."

"Indeed." Shifu muttered, with an utterly flabbergasted expression. "Is there… anything else you'd like to add?"

"Yeah!" Su said cheerfully. "The fact that you both are definitely telling the truth more or less confirms that you both got here through sleepwalking."

"How so?" Shifu asked.

"You see, I read in the medicinal section of this library that one of the symptoms of sleepwalking is that the victim doesn't remember how they got to a certain point after waking up. Because both Po and Crane are telling the truth that they don't remember how they got into the library, then it's very likely that they were indeed sleep-walking. So please don't hit them with your staff, it'd be really unfair!"

By then Shifu's grip on his staff had loosened considerably.

Su suddenly realized that the three men were staring at her like she had grown twenty seven heads.

"Uh…" She gulped, beginning to feel a little nervous. "Did I saw something wrong?"

"Su…" Po paused, the hinges of his jaw loose. "How did you know all that?"

Now Su understood.

"Well, do you remember when you and Shifu went down to Constable Hu's office to speak with him about permits a couple of months ago?" Su asked.

"Yeah, and we brought you along because you hadn't left the palace in weeks." Po replied. "And?"

"And while you were talking I got bored and did a little reading of Hu's bookshelf. I found a scroll explaining to how detect a liar."

"Of course you did…" Shifu said simply.

When Su wasn't looking, Po leaned in towards Crane and whispered in the spot on the side of his feathered head which the panda guessed was where a bird's version of an ear was.

"Crane, I don't think her mental awesomeness is limited to languages." He whispered.

Before anything else could be said, they were interrupted by the sudden arrival of Tigress, Viper, Monkey and Mantis.

"There you guys are!" Viper exclaimed. "We've been looking all over for you!"

"Why weren't you both in the guest room?" Tigress demanded. Po and Crane winced under her glare.

"They said they were sleep-walking." Shifu said. "Don't bother interrogating them, Su more or less confirmed they're telling the truth."

"It's true." Su spoke.

"Both of them sleep-walking at the same time?" Mantis raised an eyebrow. "That's a little unlike them."

"Nevertheless, it's the truth!" Po said quickly as memories of the horrific nightmare came flooding back. "New topic, it's embarrassing enough as it is!"

"Okay, okay." Viper chuckled when she saw the redness of Po and Crane's cheeks. She turned to Su. "Su, honey, are you ready to head home?"

Po blinked. He had forgotten that Su and Di Tan were returning to the Valley of Peace today.

"Yeah, I'm ready." Su replied. "Is it okay if I have something to eat first before going?"

"Of course, Su. Di Tan's waiting in the mess hall anyway. Do you want me to accompany you?"

"No thank you, I'm sure I know the way." Su replied. "Do you know what Mr. Di Tan's cooking?"

"I believe it's noodle rolls."

"Oh, my favorite!" Su cried in delight and made for the stairs.

Before she could reach the stairs, a dark shape suddenly swooped in through the entrance to the observatory. The warriors recognized General Tujiu as he perched on the rail and gazed at them. Po and the others gave him dirty looks. They hadn't forgotten the way he'd insulted them the day before.

"Good morning, Grandmaster Shifu." Tujiu said casually. "Why such a large gathering?"

"It's nothing important." Shifu replied irritably. "Shouldn't you be in the study with the Emperor?"

"I am well aware of where I'm expected to be." Tujiu replied. "But pointless discussions will have to wait."

"And why is that?" Tigress asked coldly.

"Well it's just that…" Tujiu sighed with mock-sadness. "Oh how I hate to be the bringer of such… such bad news…"

"Spit it out!" Shifu snapped.

"I am afraid that neither the girl nor the goose will be leaving the Himalayas today."

"What?!" Shifu took a step forward, but Su quickly reached out and grabbed his arm. "What the hell do you mean neither of them are leaving?"

"Well, grandmaster, it was like this…" Tujiu said. "Early this morning, I flew up to the roof of this very fortress for some fresh air, and while enjoying the view, I was surprised to see that the entrance to the underground shortcut has suffered a landslide."

The library fell silent.

"A… landslide?" Su asked, shocked.

"Evidently this means that the only means of leaving is a very,  _very_  long walk over the largest mountain range in the world." Tujiu went on, taking no notice of Su whatsoever. "And what with a gang of murderous thieves on the loose, attempting such a journey would be very unwise."

"If this is such bad news, then why do you have that smile on your face?" Monkey asked.

"What smile?" Tujiu asked with what he seemed to think was an innocent expression.

"Never mind that!" Viper snapped. "We can't possibly have Su remain here! She'll be in life threatening danger if she stays!"

"Excuse me, but we're  _all_  in life threatening danger." Tujiu replied coolly. "But if you want, you can go over to the entrance and see if you can clear it up. Worth a shot, isn't it?"

"Well let's go then!" Po exclaimed. "The sooner we clear up the entrance the sooner Su and Di Tan can go home and be put out of harm's way!"

"Wait Po!" Mantis yelped. "Have you forgotten what happened last time we ventured outside?"

"Mantis, the entrance is located to the east of the fortress." Monkey said. "It's pretty far away from the west where we were attacked. If we stick together and stay frosty, then we'll be fine."

"Oh really?" Mantis glared at the primate on whose shoulder he was standing on. "Weren't we in a group when we had fricking boulders tossed at us?"

"That's enough." Shifu barked. "While venturing outside would indeed be dangerous, I'm afraid Po and Monkey are right. We cannot leave the entrance blocked, because unless we risk a month's journey through a frozen wasteland then we're effectively trapped here."

Mantis fell silent as he understood Shifu's point.

"Po, you, Tigress, Crane and Monkey head to the tunnel entrance and see what you can do about it. Mantis, Viper, you two can stay here and keep searching for information. That and look after Su."

Mantis looked very relieved at being told to stay.

"Okay, guys, let's go!"

Po was at the forefront of the group of four as they ran down the steps (Crane flew) towards the ground floor. Shifu watched them go before turning back to Tujiu.

"I'll see you later… 'grandmaster'."

Tujiu flapped his wings then took off, flying back through the observatory entrance.

"He's not very nice." Su said.

 


	26. Coincidences and Confrontations

Emperor Xian went through the same morning ritual every time he awoke from a night of restless dreams. After dragging his weary body out of bed, he would prop the bed against the wall and perform a hundred pull-ups on the intricately carved rail, then put the bed back and have a drink of water from the jug on the bedside table, and then finally pull out the gold locket from beneath his shirt and gaze sadly at the picture inside.

He had been performing this ritual for almost thirty years, and being stuck in an ancient fortress somewhere in the biggest mountain range in the world wasn't going to stop him.

With a small sigh, he slipped the locket back beneath his shirt and got dressed. After slipping on his sleeved vest and pants, he grabbed several knives from his personal set and hid them in several places on his body. He knew they probably weren't necessary, but he'd much rather have a weapon and not need it than need a weapon and not have one.

Deciding that the first thing he'd do this morning would be to venture to the mess hall where everyone else would be, Xian walked out of the bedroom and made his way down the wide staircase that led down to the guestrooms where Shifu and his students had taken residence. When he reached the bottom, he spotted Di Tan emerging from one of the guest rooms.

"Good morning, Di Tan." Xian forced himself into a smile as he approached the aged goose. "Sleep well?"

Di Tan yawned as he turned to the tiger.

"Very well, thank you, Xian." He replied. His smile faded as he gazed upon the larger animal. "I wish I could say the same about you. Are you feeling alright?"

Xian opened his mouth to say that he was feeling fine, but decided against it. Due to being up half the night, he didn't feel up to lying.

"To be honest, I'm not." He rubbed his eyes. "I didn't have a very good night's sleep."

"Bad dreams?" Di Tan asked.

Xian nodded silently. Di Tan sighed.

"I'm not surprised." The goose replied sadly. "You've been having terrible dreams ever since that night." The goose suddenly clapped his wings over his beak as he realized what he had said.

"Don't get upset, I'm not angry." Xian said calmly.

Di Tan slowly lowered his wings.

"Maybe you should go back to bed." Di Tan said, his eyebrows slanted in concern. "You've been having sleepless nights for weeks. You're going to make yourself ill if you stay up."

"I appreciate your concern, but-"

"Grandmaster Shifu and the others and taking care of everything." Di Tan interrupted. "You don't have to lift a finger."

Xian scowled.

"Di Tan, I came to this fortress so I could help resolve the crisis at hand!" he said. "I didn't come here to stay cooped up in my bedroom while the men who fight for my country are dying!"

"I didn't say that!" Di Tan took a step back in alarm. "I was only suggesting that you catch a couple of hours more sleep before you face that awful Tujiu!"

"I know, I know…" Xian sighed, regretting his anger. "I'm sorry, Di Tan."

"It's alright." Di Tan stepped forward again and put a comforting wing on Xian's arm. "I know you're upset about what's happening, but a little extra sleep won't hurt."

"You're right." Xian admitted. "But before I return to my room, do you think you could tell me what's happening so far?"

Di Tan stroked his mustache.

"Well, this probably wouldn't interest, but something very odd happened to two of Shifu's students early this morning."

"What happened?"

"Well, I don't exactly what happened, but when I woke up I found that both the Dragon Warrior and Master Crane had vanished. According to Shifu they found the pair in the library. Apparently they sleep-walked."

Xian raised his eyebrows.

"What a strange thing to happen…" he murmured. "Where are they now?"

"They've gone with Tigress, Monkey and Eagle Jr. to the entrance to that tunnel we went through on our way to the fortress." Di Tan explained.

"Why would they go there?"

"From what I heard, there's been a landslide. The entrance is completely blocked."

Xian suddenly no longer felt tired.

"Are you serious?!" he hissed. "If that's true, then we're practically trapped here!"

"I know, I know, but until the warriors come back then we'll just have to wait and hope that something can be done about it." Di Tan replied soothingly. Xian forced himself to calm down. He took several deep breaths before speaking.

"What of Shifu and his other students?" he asked.

"Shifu is speaking with Tujiu about the current events, and Viper and Mantis are in the library with Su."

"You're talking about the girl, right?" Xian said, remembering the little panda girl he'd met at the Jade Palace.

"Yes. They're in there looking for any information that might be helpful for the mission."

"Do you think they'd mind if I looked with them?" Xian asked hopefully. He had to do something… anything… otherwise he really would fall ill.

"I don't see why they would." Di Tan replied. The look on his face indicated that he understood Xian's plight. "If you're really serious about staying awake and doing something, then at least let me make you something to help you feel better. I know how to brew a tonic that will do you a world of good."

* * *

In General Tujiu's private study, a much less peaceful conversation was underway.

"What do you mean someone was spying on you last night?" Tujiu said in outrage, glaring at the red panda. "I'll have you know that I was up late that night keeping watch. If some outcast little thief had snuck into the fortress late last night, don't you think I'd know about it?"

"Then how do you explain this?" An irritated Shifu pulled out a piece of dark hair and held it out to the vulture.

"What's this?" Tujiu asked testily, not even looking at the hair.

"It's hair that I discovered on the balcony last night." Shifu said slowly. "It doesn't belong to any of my students and especially not the little girl who was sharing my room."

Tujiu's eyes narrowed as he leaned down towards the hair to examine it.

"It looks like gorilla hair." he said. "I told you it was bandits."

"It's most certainly not gorilla hair." Shifu retorted. "Gorilla hair has a bluish tint. This hair is brownish black."

"Then it's a different kind of gorilla."

Shifu resisted the urge the whack the vulture over the head with his staff. Maybe it was Tujiu's way of trying to rationalize what was happening, or perhaps he really was that stubborn and foolish.

"This is not gorilla hair!" Shifu snapped. "To be honest, I don't recall any animal this hair may belong to."

"So what are you saying?" Tujiu demanded. Quick as lightning he snatched the hair from Shifu's hand and waved it in front of his face. "That we're being attacked by a brand new species? A monster perhaps?"

Any other time, Shifu would have replied with a calm voice denying Tujiu's infuriating accusations and assuring him that he understood that the vulture was probably under a lot of stress at the moment. Instead he said;

"Listen, you bird-brained son of a…"

"I have to debrief the soldiers in the camp." Tujiu abruptly and turned to the open window. "This conversation is over."

Shifu's hands clenched into fists. He couldn't believe that the general was just going to walk away from this.

"Don't you dare turn your back on me!" he snarled.

"This conversation is over!" Tujiu repeated, and within a second he was out the window.

Shifu's grip on his staff tightened and he fought the urge to roar in frustration. Why was Tujiu so god-damn determined to be enemies? Shifu and his students had come to this god-forsaken mountain to help, for crying out loud!

Shifu turned on his heel and stormed toward the door, intending to speak with Xian. Tujiu may be willing to disrespect the Master of the Jade Palace, but only a bona-fide moron would disrespect the Emperor face-to-face.

He opened the door and got a shock when he found himself staring at Viper and Mantis.

"M-Master!" Viper stammered, looking almost terrified. Shifu realized that he was still wearing a furious expression, and quickly composed himself.

"This had better be important." he said. "I told you not to leave Su by herself."

"We didn't, Master." Viper said quickly. "Emperor Xian and Di Tan are in the library with her at the moment."

"Well? What brings you here?" Shifu asked impatiently.

"We found out a little information about this fortress that may be important." Mantis said "It's not much, but you did tell us to come straight to you if we find anything even the slightest bit significant."

"Well?"

"We were going through the history section when I found a scroll talking about a certain Lord Shi-xie." Viper said.

"Isn't that the name of the warlord who used to live in this fortress?" Shifu asked.

"No. It was the name of the warlord's great-great-great grandfather who originally built the fortress."

Shifu blinked.

"I was never aware of that particular bit of information. At least we know roughly how old this building is."

"Actually we don't." Mantis said. "And this is the interesting part. You see, the scroll was talking about the lord's fortress located farther up north, and whether or not it would be a threat."

"In other words, the scroll wasn't talking about this fortress, it was talking about another, more recent one." Viper said.

"So you're saying…" Shifu trailed off.

"This place didn't belong to a warlord. It belonged to someone else." Viper said. "Someone much older than the warlord or his ancestors. Probably even older than Master Oogway."

"Right…" Shifu stroked his beard. "And what does this have to do with the murders?"

"Well, when we found this information, Su suggested something that may be very helpful." Viper said. "She suggested that the history of this fortress may be connected to the murders."

"And we think she may be onto something." Mantis said. "I mean, the murders happening after General Tujiu and his men moved into the fortress seems a bit too coincidental."

Shifu stopped stroking his beard as he realized that the two warriors were right. It indeed seemed too much of a coincidence.

"So, you're suggesting changing priorities to finding out the history of this building." Shifu said.

Viper and Mantis nodded nervously.

"We wouldn't suggest it if it wouldn't bring up results." Mantis said. "I mean, searching for clues to its identity isn't bringing up anything useful, and figuring out the motive could be more useful than finding out what it is."

"You may be right…" Shifu muttered. "Alright, you may change tasks. But don't forget to keep an eye out for anything that may help us find out who or what these killers are."

Mantis and Viper saluted him.

"But before you return to the library, I want you both to go down to the army camp and tell Tujiu that if he isn't back here in five minutes I'm going to pluck off his feathers one by one until he looks like a scrawny pig."

"Yes, Master."


	27. Second Thoughts

_Mantis, you lucky son-of-a-bean-bun._

This was the most prominent of Po's thoughts as with frozen fingers he scaled the small cliff face that was their last obstacle to the tunnel entrance. With the path they had used the day before destroyed by the landslide, their only option had been to climb. To make matters worse, a blizzard had set in, and now Po, Tigress and Monkey had to struggle with not only a lack of handholds, but half-blindness from the snow constantly flying into their faces.

Not everyone in the group was suffering. In the air above them, Crane and Master Eagle Jr. were hovering, years of experience and training enabling them to stay in the air without being thrown about by the wind. Eagle Jr. had encountered the group on their way out of the fortress, and suggested that he join them so his role in this mission wouldn't be entirely limited to messenger bird.

He had also berated them for going out without the proper gear, as the guys had done the day before…

"We've travelled through this kind of terrain in our normal clothing before." Tigress had replied. Eagle Jr. had shook his head and replied;

"Through the mountains surrounding the Valley of Peace, maybe, but this is the Himalayas. And even for powerful kung fu masters such as yourselves and me, in the Himalayas anything can go wrong."

"Hey, aside from the surprise attack, yesterday's trip went off without a hitch." Po had said. "We'll be fine."

"Oh yes? What if one of you gets injured, and the nearest safe haven is twenty miles away? You can't just head to the nearest village like you can in the Valley of Peace, and back here in the fortress we won't know if something has happened. There's no help if you run into trouble."

"We can take it." Tigress had said.

"At least just take some supplies and warmer clothing." Eagle Jr. had said with the slightest hint of irritation. "Trust me, it's better to be safe than sorry."

A couple more minutes of debating later, Po, Tigress, Crane, Monkey and Eagle Jr. had all left the fortress with small travel-packs full of food, small medicine boxes, rope, and other small supplies. They had also put on coats, such as the dark brown one Po was currently wearing as he struggled to maintain his foothold.

Eventually Tigress shouted out;

"I can't see a darn thing!" She had to yell over the wind. "Crane, are we almost to the top?"

"Just a few more feet to go!" Crane yelled back.

"Thank god." Po muttered.

"On the other hand, Po, you're lagging fifteen feet behind the others." Eagle Jr. added with barely concealed amusement. "Pick up the pace, will you?"

"Darnit." Po muttered, and searched for the next handhold. He had to squint his eyes to keep the snow from flying into them. When he realized that there was no way he could see properly in these conditions, he instead ran his paw over the rough surface of the cliff face. He found nothing to hold on to, mostly due to the fact that he was steadily losing the feeling in his fingers.

Crap. He wasn't sure if he could hold on for much longer.

He was suddenly aware of a presence by his side.

"Po?" Tigress asked. She must have climbed back down when she sensed that Po was having difficulty. "Is something wrong?"

"I can't find a flipping handhold." Po replied. Tigress was wearing a tight-fitting coat of a darker shade of brown, and despite his predicament Po couldn't help but find it quite fetching. "Tigress, a little help?"

"There should be a decent handhold above your head." Tigress said. "It's some ways up, so you'll have to stretch."

"Okay." Po blindly reached upwards but found that he couldn't find it.

He gasped softly when he felt Tigress's warm paw close around his wrist and gently guide his paw towards just the right spot, and only let go when she was sure that he had gotten a good grip. At Eagle Jr.'s insistence, the feline was wearing black gloves.

"There you go." She said.

"T-thanks." Po stuttered. He lifted his foot to a higher foothold and resumed his climb. "See you at the top."

He felt Tigress pat him reassuringly on the shoulder before resuming the climb herself.

Po froze on the spot as he registered the electric sensation from her touch. He waited until Tigress had gotten several feet above him before he spoke to Crane. The avian had been hovering behind him for the past minute after he had also realized that Po had been in trouble, just in case the panda had lost his grip.

"What the heck was that?" Po asked, the wind and snow keeping him from turning his head to look at Crane.

"Believe it or not…" Crane said with hint of shock. "Personal growth."

A few minutes later all three non-flyers had reached the top. Tigress and Monkey each grabbed Po by the arm and pulled the panting panda onto horizontal land.

"Thanks for the… help…" Po gasped as he turned over onto his back. "Darn… so worse… than my old enemy…"

Eagle Jr, who had perched on a nearby rock to keep a lookout, looked at the panda curiously.

"Your old…"

"He means stairs." Tigress said as she knelt down beside Po. "Po, get up. We have a job to do."

"Five more minutes…"

"That's for when you're tired and you don't want to get up." Tigress rolled her eyes.

"Lying exhausted on the ground and not wanting to get up counts, right?"

"Wrong."

Po groaned as he struggled to his feet.

"Wait." Monkey suddenly said. "We shouldn't attempt anything until this blizzard dies out. It's far too risky."

Tigress looked like she wanted to argue, but then she sighed and walked off. As Po watched her retreating back, he was suddenly reminded of a dark corridor in a deserted fortress where he was frantically chasing the woman he most cared about.

Tigress stopped and sat down behind a rock, sheltered from the wind. Monkey, on the other hand, leapt right on top of the rock, and stared silently into the distance. He looked very deep in thought.

Po sat down behind another rock several feet away and adjusted himself until he too was protected from the wind. A moment later Crane joined him.

For some time they sat in silence. Eventually, they noticed the wind very slowly beginning to decrease in intensity, the amount of snow depleting and so increasing visibility.

Po stared at Tigress for a few minutes as he rubbed his paws together to warm them up, then suddenly said;

"Crane, I don't think I can do this."

"Do what?" Crane asked.

"Pretend that I don't have feelings for Tigress."

He felt Crane shift behind him.

"What're you talking about? It was your idea! Besides, you never said you wanted to suppress your feelings, you said to just push them aside and focus on the mission." The avian said.

"I know, I know, I'm just not sure if that's gonna work." Po replied. He kept his face lowered to the ground, eyes focused on his paws as he blew on them.

"What do you mean?" Crane asked.

"I mean that I don't think I'll be able to stop thinking about Tigress. I don't think I'll ever be able to control how I feel about her." Po said. After a moment's pause, he asked. "Crane, do you remember that crazy dream you and me had last night?"

"How can I not?" Crane let out a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold.

"Well, do you remember how we got into the weird secret passage?" Po asked. "We spotted Tigress acting strangely and we followed her into the library…"

"That's not what I remember." Crane interrupted. "In my dream I was following Viper."

This made Po look up.

"Viper?" He asked.

"That's what I said." Crane replied. "In my dream, I saw her in the entrance hall, followed her into the library, and she opened up the secret passage and went into it. That's the last time I saw her before I woke up."

"Weird, Tigress did the exact same thing."

"And when we wake up, we find ourselves right in front of the wall where the passage opened up."

"What the hell is going on?"

"No idea, but can we stop talking about our dreams for now? It's bad enough that I now know what having your neck broken feels like."

"Okay, okay…" Crane said. "But can I ask just one more thing?"

"Go ahead."

"What has our dreams got to do with your feelings for Tigress?"

"You don't get it?" Po glared at him. "Our dreams share one thing in common: we get lured by a vision of our crushes into a secret tomb where we get murdered by a creepy demon thing. It made me realize that my feelings for her aren't to be taken lightly."

"And your point is?"

"This thing… whatever it is we're up against… it has killed dozens of people. What if it gets its hands on Tigress? Or Viper? Or us?"

Crane's eyes widened. He looked away, and Po knew he was thinking of Viper.

"I think I understand what you mean…" He said. "This mission may very well be our last. It's the same with every big mission we go on."

"It may be our last chance to show Tigress and Viper how we feel." Po said.

* * *

What were Po and Crane talking about, Tigress wondered as she glanced at the pair hiding from the wind behind a rocker larger than hers. The two men were leaning towards each other, talking in lowered voices that Tigress was unable to discern because of the wind. Said wind was fading now, soon they would be able to resume the journey. As she watched her own breath turn to mist as she exhaled, she decided against asking Po or Crane about their conversation when they got back to the fortress. Whatever they were talking about, it was probably a guy's thing.

As visibility increased, Tigress was able to make out their surroundings. Ten feet to her left was the edge of the cliff they had just ascended. Near the edge was the rock where Eagle Jr. was keeping watch. Right in front of her was a mess of ice and rubble that had once been the path that led down the side of the cliff. To her right was a wide snowdrift that had likely formed as a result of the blizzard and was obstructing her view of the landslide.

Her brows furrowed in concern. In these conditions and this location, a surprise attack could come from anywhere. Not to mention the fact that their enemy was strong enough to throw boulders the size of Po's stomach.

The snow here was partly icy, and crunched slightly when Tigress shifted her legs to get more comfortable. She turned her head and looked up towards Monkey, who despite the wind was sitting perfectly balanced on top of the rock she was sitting against.

Strange. The weather was crappy and moment earlier Po had needed assistance in climbing a thirty foot high cliff. The primate should have cracked a joke by now. Instead he was staring at nothing in particular, his mouth forming a thin line. Why on earth was Monkey so on edge?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a certain panda.

"Hey, the wind's not so bad now." He called. "Do you think it's safe to get moving?"

"Sure." Eagle Jr. said after a moment's pause.

Relieved, Tigress was the first to get to her feet. Monkey leapt off the boulder and landed in the snow beside her.

"Come on, the entrance is behind this snow drift." She said. She, Po and Monkey walked around the snowdrift as Eagle Jr. and Crane naturally flew over.

On the other side of the snowdrift, they found a vast rock wall and leaning against it, a pile of rocks and snow.

"Dang…" Po folded his arms and sighed. "That's a lotta rock."

Tigress stepped up to the landslide and leaned forward as she inspected the damage.

"Looks like it's not so bad." Tigress said. "Probably twenty or thirty tons worth of rock is blocking the entrance."

"Great." Crane muttered. "And how is that not bad?"

"Because most of these boulders are only half my height. With the strongest men, it shouldn't be too hard to move them."

"You're right." Eagle Jr. had also been examining the landslide. "With a good ten or twenty men, we could probably clear this up in three days."

"That's good." Crane said sarcastically. "Aside from the fact that most if not all of the men who have ventured from the army camp have ended up dead."

"Stop being a wuss." Tigress said without so much as a glance. As she continued to gaze at the rockslide, she suddenly frowned.

"Yeah, stop worrying so much." Po chuckled as Crane scowled. "If I see the boulder-throwing interloper, I'll pummel him with my famous Fist of Fury!"

"Whatever." Crane muttered. Tigress ignored him, her mind focused on more important things.

"Something's not right." She said.

"You mean aside from the rockslide that has blocked our only safe route through the Himalayas?" Monkey asked, his tone even more sarcastic than Crane's. That was the Monkey she knew.

"Yes, because the safe route is  _all_  that it's blocking." Tigress turned to her friends. "Doesn't that seem odd to you?"

Po leaned against the side of the snowdrift as he looked up at the rockslide.

"You're right." He said with wide eyes. "You don't think that…"

As Tigress's golden eyes flicked to his direction, something burst from the snowdrift, thick muscled arms lunging for the giant panda.


	28. The Black Feather

" _I praise the all-seeing, shine-faced Dike_

_who sits beside the throne of Zeus_

_and from heaven she oversees_

_the life and conduct of all animal-kind,_

_coming upon the unjust as just avenger_

_and bringing close the opposites_

_on the basis of truth and equality._

_Because not all evil thoughts, urging men_

_towards acquisition of more in unjust ways,_

_are easily discernible._

_But you, enemy of the wrong doers,_

_immediately come upon them and punish,_

_while being good with the righteous._

_Come, goddess, be fair with the fair minded_

_Till the destined end of life comes._ "

With raised eyebrows, Emperor Xian looked up from the scroll he was reading. The voice had come from the second library, the one full of languages Xian had never learned.

"Su?" He called. "What was that just now?"

Su stepped out from the second library, and gave a small gasp when she saw who had spoken.

"Oh! Um…" Her cheeks turned pink as she clutched the scroll she was holding. "Ju-just a Greek poem I found. I thought it related a lot to what Master Shifu and the others do."

"I can see why." Xian chuckled, and knelt down in front of the girl. "What is that poem called?"

"' _In Praise of Justice_.'" Su said. "I think this Zeus the poet mentioned might be some kind of ruler, like you."

"Perhaps…" Xian mused. "Why don't we talk on the bench where we'll be more comfortable."

"Uh… sure!"

Xian and Su sat down on the nearest bench. Su's short legs barely reached the edge. By the cooking section, Di Tan was once again rifling through ancient recipes.

"Tell me, Su…" Xian said. "How many languages do you know?"

Su seemed surprised that he had asked.

"Er… well, aside from mandarin, I know some Greek, Japanese, Latin, and a little bit of this language which I think I kinda dead."

"What language is that?"

"I think it's called Atlantean."

"Never heard of it."

"I don't think anyone around here has heard about it, except for Master Oogway. And he kinda died." Su replied sheepishly.

"Well, from what I learned he travelled all over the world. It wouldn't surprise me if he came across some ancient civilization on the way." Xian chuckled and he felt the sickness in his head and his gut lift. His eyelids felt less heavy.

"Um, Mr. Emperor?"

"Yes?"

"When will Master Viper and Mantis be back?"

"They just left to give Shifu some important information. It shouldn't be too long now."

"Oh, it's just that if Master Shifu's in the study with Mr. Tujiu, then it would only be about six and a half minute's walk. And it's been half an hour since they left."

"Try not to worry, Su." Xian said. "They are kung fu masters and we are perfectly safe in this fortress. I highly doubt that something has happened to them."

As he gazed down at the child, Xian caught a glint of something shiny and gold tucked into her belt.

"What's that?" He asked.

"Huh?"

"What's that in your belt?"

Su looked down at her belt and her face lit up.

"Oh! It's my lucky coin!"

"Your lucky coin?"

Su pulled out the object Xian had noticed: a large golden disk engraved with a dragon on both sides. Xian was momentarily stunned that a young child Su possessed something that looked to be worth hundred of thousands of yuan.

"Where in the world did you find that?" He asked.

"In the forest surrounding the village where I used to live." Su said. "It was stuck in the mouth of this statue, and it looked really old. It didn't seem to belong to anybody and it looked really pretty so I kept it. I've kept it close by ever since." Su rubbed a bit of dirt off the coin. "It wasn't until Master Shifu and the others came to the village that the coin turned out to be the key to an ancient and scary tomb. It also makes a pretty good mirror."

She giggled at her own joke and Xian laughed with her.

It was strange. The more he talked with this child, the more he felt like his old self again. It was difficult to explain. Conversing with a little girl with a nice voice whose words didn't sound like utter nonsense was like a pleasant tasting medicine, slowly washing away the pain and sorrow that had secretly ailed him for almost thirty years. Or maybe it was the way she smiled so sweetly and innocently, he wasn't sure. Or maybe it was just the tonic Di Tan had given him.

"Su, why is there a dent in the middle?" He asked.

"Oh, Master Tigress used it to redirect a meteor hammer into a giant crocodile's face."

"Oh."

Su tucked the coin back into her belt and asked; "Is it alright if I just go and put this back in the second library?" She held up the scroll which contained the Greek poem.

"I don't see why not."

Su lowered herself down from the bench and rushed into the second library.

Xian got up from the bench and walked over to Di Tan, the goose still engrossed in his cooking scrolls.

"Hey, Di Tan." He said, making the goose look up. "I just thought I'd check up on you. Have you learned anything new?"

"Lots!" The goose was beaming. "Mr. Ping will have kittens when he hears of some of the thing's I've learned here in this library. How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thank you." Xian said. "That tonic of yours has worked wonders."

"I'm glad to hear you say so."

Xian sat down on the floor beside the goose, trying not to step on the scrolls and books that were scattered all over the place.

"How are you feeling about the tunnel being blocked?" Xian asked.

"Oh, I'm fine." Di Tan wasn't looking at him, both eyes back to studying the scroll.

"Really, because without that shortcut, we're trapped here."

"Don't fret, my boy..."

Fifty-something year old Xian blinked.

"Master Po and the others know what they're doing. I'm sure they will find a way to clear that landslide in no time." Di Tan went on. "Now why don't you-"

He was interrupted by a cry of outrage coming from the second library.

"Hey, this isn't right!"

"Su, what's wrong?" Xian called.

Su re-emerged, bearing another scroll and a very sour expression.

"This is an astrology scroll!" The girl exclaimed. "This shouldn't be in the second library! It should be on the top floor!"

Xian fought against a smile.

"Mr. Emperor, may I go and put this scroll back in its rightful place?" She asked.

"Yes, you may." Xian chuckled as Su stormed up the stairs. Was this child with extremely high intelligence, a knowledge of several languages, the ability to detect a liar, an ancient coin and a dislike for badly arranged books ever going to stop surprising people?

He was proven wrong minutes later by the sudden sound of scraping rock and Su's surprised cry.

"Su?!"

Di Tan looked up from his recipes in alarm.

"What just happened?!"

Xian didn't answer him, for he was already half way up the stairs.

* * *

With Oogway's staff in one hand and the mysterious piece of hair in the other, Shifu approached the entrance to the fortress library. Explaining his suspicions to Tujiu had proven frustratingly ineffective, but Xian would certainly listen. Shifu wondered if he, Su and Di Tan had discovered anything interesting yet.

When he entered the library, he was surprised to find the area empty.

_Where have they gotten to-_

He heard a voice coming from high up on the top floor. A frantic voice that could have only belonged to Di Tan.

Shifu didn't bother taking the stairs. Instead he leapt on top of the nearest bookcase, then leapt several feet into the air until he was perfectly balanced on the rail of the next floor, then he sprung to the opposite wall, and rebounded onto the top floor to find Di Tan staring at a large gap in the wall in between two bookshelves.

"Di Tan?" Shifu asked, making the goose jump. "What in the world is going on?!"

"I don't know!" Di Tan cried. "Su went upstairs to replace a scroll that had been put in the wrong place. We heard the sound of rock scraping and Su cry out, and when we reached the top of the stairs, we found this hole in the wall and Su was gone!"

Shifu's stomach plummeted.

"Where is Xian?" He demanded.

"He went down into the hole to look for her. He told me to stay here no matter what!"

Shifu pushed past Di Tan and ran for the hole. If something had happened to Su…

He was stopped in his tracks when Xian emerged from the gap in the wall, carrying Su in his arms like she was a baby.

"Su!" Shifu rushed over, his heart racing.

"I'm okay, Master Shifu." Su said.

Thank god, Shifu thought. She was conscious.

Xian leaned down and placed Su on a nearby bench.

"Su, sweetheart, are you alright?" Shifu asked, leaping onto the bench and kneeling beside her. Su nodded in response.

"I found her at the bottom of the stairs." Xian said. He looked like he had also been panicking. "She's fine, other than the cut knee."

Shifu noticed that Su's right knee was wrapped up in a piece of fabric evidently torn from Xian's own vest. Blood was seeping through.

"We will need to get this bandaged." Shifu said relief flooding through his system that the cut knee was all she had suffered. "Su, what in god's name happened?"

Su winced from the pain in her knee before speaking. There were tears in her blue eyes, but she didn't look like she was about to burst out crying.

"Well, I put the scroll back in the astrology section, but then I found another scroll that belonged to another bookcase." She said. "I grabbed one of those ladders because the scroll's proper place was impossible to reach from the floor. I was putting the scroll back when I noticed that there were two torch brackets on either side of the bookshelf. One of the torches was missing, and the other looked like it was attached to some kind of hinge. I was curious, and pulled on the torch. Suddenly the bookcase disappeared and I fell right through that hole in the wall!"

"Good gracious!" Di Tan exclaimed. "It's a miracle you weren't seriously hurt!"

"I was lucky." Su said, rubbing the part of her leg that was right above her bandaged knee. "I kind of rode the ladder down the stairs. Kinda like a really long sled."

"Did you say stairs?" Shifu frowned.

"That passage leads down a rather long flight of steps." Xian said. "I also noticed that the passage continued down a corridor, but Su needed more attention."

"Darn." Su suddenly said, grimacing. Shifu guessed that her knee was throbbing like crazy. "Mr. Tujiu could have told us about that secret passageway!"

Shifu and Xian turned to face Su.

"What did you say?" Shifu asked.

"I said that Tujiu could have told us about the passageway." Su replied.

"What makes you say that?" Xian asked. "Tujiu couldn't have known about this. He would have told us."

"Well, I found this on the floor after I fell." Su held up a single black feather. "Judging from this feather, the corridor was either walked through by Mr. Tujiu or a housekeeper who sucks at feather-dusting."

Shifu grabbed the feather.

"This is definitely Tujiu's." He said in a low voice. Xian released a growl that made Su's eyes widen.

"What is that idiot playing at?" He snarled. "Why didn't he tell us about this?"

"We might find out if we find out where that passage leads." Shifu said. He clenched his fist, crushing the feather. What else was Tujiu hiding from them?

"Oh, there's something else!" Su said. "The floor's really dusty, so there were a lot of footprints. I noticed a set of prints that might belong to Mr. Tujiu, and there were also two sets that I think may belong to Master Po and Crane."

"What?" Shifu look at her sharply.

"There were circular footprints with a paw-print design like the one on Po's shoes." Su explained. "And there were a set of bird footprints that I don't think belong to Mr. Tujiu."

Shifu slowly turned to stare at the passage entrance.

Now that he thought about it, that entrance was located in the same spot where Po and Crane had woken up from their sleepwalking episode.


	29. Murder in the Snowdrift

The massive figure that had emerged from the snowdrift in an explosion of white lifted Po into the air by the back of his head, and Tigress's blood froze.

"Po!" She yelled.

As Po shouted in surprise and confusion, dangling five feet off the ground, Tigress let out a feral snarl and charged towards the monstrosity, Monkey sprinting forward alongside. Eagle Jr. and Crane took to the air, shock giving way to fury as they saw their monochromatic friend in trouble.

Po's shouts of alarm turned to screams of pain as the creature tightened its grip on his skull.

" _Let him go you murdering son of a-_ " Monkey's curse was drowned out by a deafening roar from the monster as it saw Po's allies charging at him all at once.

It tossed Po aside like he was a bouncing ball and stepped forward towards its enemies. Snow from the snowdrift stuck to its body like sticky dumpling sauce, making it look like some kind of monstrous snowman.

A split second before she leapt into the air, Tigress considered deeming the creature as some kind of gorilla. A plausible idea, considering the domed skull she saw, and the dark fur peeking out from beneath the snow.

Then the split second passed and she was flying through the snow filled air towards the creature, leg spinning around her as she delivered a classic roundhouse kick. The back of her foot struck the creature across the face. There. Such a blow would stun even the strongest gorilla for a few seconds. Monkey leapt from a lower height and kicked the creature in the abdomen with a primal screech.

However, when Tigress landed on the ground and looked up, she saw that the creature barely looked fazed. The only sign that it had been affected was the tiniest trickle of blood seeping from its temple.

Yes, a gorilla was plausible.

Except for the fact that gorillas do not walk on two legs nearly as effortlessly as this creature did. Gorillas do not tower over you by a good three or four feet. And gorillas certainly do not have a face that almost looked disturbingly feline.

Crane and Eagle Jr. attempted to swoop down low but were forced to retreat back several feet when the creature swung its arms in a strangely coordinated fashion. Monkey was also having trouble getting close enough to launch another attack, his expression furious. Tigress stayed where she was, the gears in her mind churning as she tried to think of a strategy.

Tigress was distracted by a moan. Twenty feet away, Po rose up from the deep blanket of snow, paws rubbing his sore head. He looked confused, and there was a vivid bruise on his forehead. He must have hit a rock when he fell.

"Whatta hit me?" He asked as he spotted Tigress and staggered towards her. "Tigress, whassup? You look like you'd just seen a- holy crap!" He was suddenly lucid when he saw the creature which had tried to crush his skull. "What the hell is that?!"

"Po, you're injured!" Tigress yelled. "Stay back and let us handle this!"

She would never know what Po had been about to reply with, because at that moment a large shape flew over her head, her fur ruffling in the wind. The creature had just made an astoundingly high leap into the air. It reached the rock wall high above their heads, just above of the rock slide. By now, most of the snow on its body had either melted or fell off.

Tigress stared up at the creature as it clung to the rock wall, and her pupils dilated when she saw that it wasn't just tall as an elephant, it seemed to be made up entirely of solid muscle. Its body was riddled with tiny cuts and grey scars, including a particularly large one across its chest that looked like it had been caused by a sword. Thick arms and legs carried it upwards as it began to ascend the wall.

Tigress's eyes narrowed. Why was this… whatever the hell it was… trying to escape after so short a battle? Had it realized that the odds were against it? Or was it trying to…

"Get back!" Monkey yelled when Crane and Eagle Jr. made to follow. "He's mine!"

"Are you crazy?!" Po yelled, grabbing Monkey by the tail and pulling him away from the rock wall. "You're gonna get yourself killed!"

"I don't care!" Monkey retorted. "That monster killed-"

An explosion of dirt right beside them cut Monkey off. The creature had pulled a stone from the wall and tossed it down with frightening accuracy.

"Oh hell." Po gulped. The creature grabbed another large rock and raised its free muscled arm to throw it. There was a bloody wound beneath its jaw where Eagle Jr. had successfully attacked its neck.

"Get away!" Tigress hollered. "Get out of range!"

Po dragged the resisting Monkey away and the boulder struck the ground where they had been seconds before. He and Monkey rushed over to one of the large rocks they had been resting against minutes earlier, out of firing range. Crane and Eagle Jr. rose higher into the air and prepared to attack…

And were forced to swoop back down again when a third boulder flew their way.

"Darn it!" Tigress snarled as she rushed over to Po and Monkey's side. Monkey was still struggling to escape from Po's grasp.

The odds were not in their favor. At this rate, they'll tire and get crushed into red blotches on the snow.

"Dang, this thing's powerful!" Po muttered as he held Monkey tightly. "It's like facing a cannon, but without the fire and stuff!"

Cannon.

A light bulb went off in Tigress's head.

"Crane! Eagle Jr! Get your feathery butts out of range!"

Crane and Eagle Jr. dodged another boulder and flew down to join the others behind the rock.

"I've got a plan!" She whispered. There was a deafening crash as a boulder collided with the other side of the rock that shielded them. "Po, it involves you."

"Me?" Po pointed to himself.

"Is it foolproof?" Crane asked.

"No, but it's our only hope to get out of this."

"Great."

"For now I'll tolerate your sarcasm." Tigress turned to Po. "Po, have much have you improved on redirecting projectiles?"

"Pretty much mastered it." Po said. He winced and put a paw over his bruised head while keeping his other arm wrapped around the infuriated Monkey. "Why do you asaaaahhh wait just a cotton picking minute!"

"Quit whining, Po! Our lives are at stake here!" Tigress growled. Po wisely shut up. "When it tosses a boulder at you, make sure you redirect it right into its face!"

"But what if it doesn't affect it?" Po asked frantically. "I mean, that guy took a kick to the face from you and didn't even flinch for crying out loud!"

"Even if it doesn't hurt it, the distraction should be enough for us to either attack or retreat." Tigress replied. "Whichever gives us the best chance for survival."

"Call me a coward, but I'm hoping we pick retreat." Replied Crane. "Losing my hat was bad enough."

"I don't blame you." Tigress said. "The only thing we need is something or someone to distract it so that it doesn't block the boulder when Po redirects it."

Without missing a beat, Eagle Jr. lifted a wing.

"I'll do it." He said. "I have the most experience in aerial attacks anyway. No offense, Crane."

"None taken." Crane said. "I'll go with you. Two's better than one."

"No." Eagle Jr. said with unexpected firmness. "You are to stay out of harm's way."

Crane looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"Why?"

"Because if something goes wrong, you have to get the hell out of here and return to the fortress. No matter what happens, the emperor and your master must know what we're up against. When you return, you have to tell them what this creature is, what its strengths are and whatever weaknesses we may discover. Only then can they have any hope of defeating this monster."

"But…"

"No buts, Crane." Po said. He looked unusually serious. "Besides, if you die someone's heart is gonna get very badly broken."

Crane fell silent.

"Alright, on the count of three, we move." Tigress said. "One… two…"

A large clawed hand plunged down from above and grasped Eagle Jr round his torso.

"Heck me!" Po hollered as Eagle Jr was effortlessly lifted off the ground and brought face to face with the creature which had stealthily climbed down while its opponents had been formulating their plan.

* * *

It brought Eagle Jr. up to its eye level, slightly amused that they hadn't seen it coming until was too late. The avian struggled futilely to free himself, as his allies emerged from behind the boulder and prepared to attack. The creature merely leapt out of their reach, back onto the rock wall, and held out its captive almost tauntingly.

The avian was muttering a string of foul words as the other bird, the one who had lost his hat the day before, flew upwards in an attempt to rescue his comrade.

The creature growled slightly as it slowly closed its hand into a fist, slowly crushing the life out of the eagle who had nearly ripped out its throat…

And realized that something was wrong when the fur on its chest unexpectedly felt damp with a wetness that was too warm to be melted snow.

Reluctantly it dropped the eagle so it could bring its hand to its chest. Below, the second avian caught the eagle just before he hit the ground.

When it pulled its hand away, the hand was soaked in red.

Curses. The neck wound must be more serious than it had thought. It would have to treat itself before the injury worsened.

With a last, hateful look at its enemies, it started to climb. Away from the landslide and away from the monochromatic creature and his allies, and towards the direction of its lair.

Never mind, all in good time. The shortcut was blocked and the enemy was trapped.

The order's lackeys could be dealt with at its measure.

* * *

The creature was gone, but Po and Tigress were more interested in the wounded eagle currently being lowered to the ground by Crane.

"Oh man, please don't be dead!" Po pleaded. "Monkey, what the hell are you doing?! Get your butt over here!"

Monkey had been about the climb the landslide in pursuit of the creature.

"But that monster…" He began to protest.

"Is gone for now." Tigress snarled. "Get over here, you have the medical supplies."

Monkey stormed over as Tigress and Po knelt over Eagle Jr. while Crane kept a lookout.

"Eagle Jr., please tell me you're alive!" Po cried.

"I'm… fine…" Eagle Jr. replied, his beak clenched in pain. "Right wing hurts like the freakin' devil!"

"It's broken." Tigress stated upon inspection. "Monkey, give me a bandage." Monkey did as he was told and Tigress carefully began wrapping up Eagle Jr.'s wing.

"Tigress, what's wrong?" Po asked when he saw her expression: her eyes were narrowed into slits and her teeth were clenched together.

"It was a trap."

"Huh?"

"It had set a trap." Tigress snarled. Her paws were fists as she continued to wrap the bandage. "That's why it hid in the snowdrift. It knew we would come to investigate the landslide. It had set a trap, and I fell for it!"

"Quit beating yourself up." Eagle Jr. said, wincing from the pain. "We all fell for it. Even me."

"Why did it just leave?" Po wondered aloud. "It was ready to kill you, and we were pretty much outmatched. Why did it just leave?"

"I delivered a pretty nasty wound to its neck." Eagle Jr. said. "Not fatal if treated quickly. It must have realized the injury was serious and abandoned the attack to heal itself."

"You may be right." Tigress said. "It seemed to turn its attention to its injury before it dropped you." She tied the two ends of the bandage together. "There, that'll do until we get you back to the fortress. Crane, you'll need to carry him… Crane?"

When they turned their heads, they saw that Crane had wandered over to the remains of the snowdrift. He was staring down at the large crater in the snow where the creature had emerged from.

"Crane?" Po stood up and walked over to his friend.

When he reached Crane, the avian turned his head to look at him. Even with the opaque dark feathers covering his head, he looked green.

"Crane, are you feeling alright?" Po asked.

"Look." Crane said simply, gesturing to the ruined snowdrift.

Po looked down and almost at once felt bile rising up his throat.

The bodies of seven or eight soldiers lay in a heap in the crater, unearthed when the creature had attacked. He looked away before his mind could register the details of the mutilation.

"Po, Crane, what is it?" Tigress called.

"You don't wanna know." Po swallowed.

Tigress strode over. She fell silent when she saw the carnage.

"Oh god…" She turned away.

"You're not going to throw up, are you?" Po asked. "'Cause I was just about to do that."

"No." Tigress took several deep breaths. "Those are definitely imperial soldiers. What are they doing here?"

"Duh, they were sent out to search for the creature's lair and ended up killed."

"But according to General Tujiu the creature's lair is most likely located in the western area of the mountain. This spot is as far away from the west as you can get. It's more likely they were sent to investigate the landslide. And there's something else…"

"What?" Crane asked.

"Those men died very recently."

"How do you know? Their bodies must be stone cold."

"You didn't notice? Some of the blood is still damp."

"Oh."

"That means they were killed mere hours before our arrival. And were hidden in the snowdrift so we wouldn't suspect a trap."

"Your point being…" Po asked.

"The only person with the authority to send men out is the general. So why didn't General Tujiu tell us that he had already sent men out to the landslide?"

Po and Crane looked at each other.

"I see your point, Tigress, but do you think we can talk about this when we're back in the fortress?" Po asked. "Eagle Jr.'s injured and if that monster comes back, we're screwed."

"Fine." Tigress nodded in agreement. "Crane, take Eagle Jr. back to the fortress. Me, Po and Monkey will follow once we've finished off here."

Crane nodded, and went over to Eagle Jr.

"See you there." He said as he carefully lifted Eagle Jr. and flew off.

"What are we going to do?" Monkey asked.

"We're going to collect the rubble from that landslide and started making graves."

Po and Monkey looked at the corpse-filled snowdrift.

"We're not leaving them like this." Tigress said firmly. "Come on, the sooner we finish, the sooner we can get the hell out of here."


	30. Into the Darkness

"There you go." Xian muttered as he gently laid Su down on the bed in Shifu's guest room. Di Tan immediately climbed onto the bed and carefully unwrapped Su's knee to examine her injury.

"Oh dear." He said as he pulled out a clean napkin and began dabbing at the blood. "You poor thing, this must be really painful."

"It doesn't hurt so much now." Su replied bravely. She leaned back into the pillow, which was more than half her full size.

"This won't need stitches, but you should probably stay off this leg for the rest of the day." Di Tan said, smiling sympathetically. "I'll get the bandages out once I got your knee cleaned up."

"Okay, just let me get my coin out my belt so I'll be more comfortable…" Su reached down… and suddenly her eyes were wide as dinner plates. "Oh no!"

"What's wrong?" Shifu asked.

"My coin! I must have dropped it when I fell through that hole in the wall!" Su made to get up, but Shifu put a hand on her shoulder and eased her back down against the pillow.

"Calm down, Su." Shifu said. "I'll find your coin while I investigate that passage."

"While you what?" Di Tan looked up from his dabbing.

"That passage must be investigated…" Shifu straightened up. "And since my students are absent, I shall do it."

"You're kidding, right Shifu?" Xian suddenly said. "You seriously plan on going into that black hole at that age? By yourself?"

"Of course I am. I am Grandmaster, so I am perfectly capable of…" Shifu suddenly realized what Xian was implying. "No, absolutely not! You are too important to the empire to put yourself in this kind of danger!"

"Oh god, you're not still griping about that, are you?" Xian retorted.

"Damn right I am!" Shifu snapped, his anger rising. "I'll tolerate you being here in the middle of a frozen wasteland, but right now I'm drawing the-"

"HUSH!" Su suddenly cried, silencing the two men at once. "Stop fighting! Both of you! You're both grown-ups! Stop it!"

"He stared it!" Xian turned to the child.

"I don't care, I'm ending it!" Su glared at the pair like a disapproving mother. "Mr. Emperor, you should know better than to let your temper get the better of you like that! You and Master Shifu are grown men, only you're fifteen years younger!"

"Thirty-five!" Xian said.

"Twenty-five." Su folded her small arms.

"Deal." Xian replied grudgingly.

"And as for you, Master Shifu, why can't he go with you? He's just as good a kung fu kicker as any!"

"Su, if anything happened to him it could have dire consequences for the empire." Shifu said firmly.

"Oh really? Because while I was hiding in that cart, I overheard him saying that he and Master Eagle Jr. had gotten everything taken care of."

"She's absolutely right!" Xian said. "Besides, I want to know what's so important about that passage that Tujiu wouldn't tell me about it!"

"Emperor Xian, it's still too dangerous!"

Xian threw his arms up in frustration.

"Um, Mr. Emperor?" Su asked. "I'm not an advisor or high ranking chancellor, but is it okay if I offer you a teensy bit of advice?"

Xian nodded. Su gestured for him to come closer, and he leaned down so she could whisper in his ear. After a moment, he grinned.

"Heh, why didn't I think of that?"

He stood up to his full height, pointed down at the stubborn Shifu, and exclaimed;

"Grandmaster Shifu, I  _order_  you to let me accompany you!"

"You what?" Shifu's jaw dropped.

"I just gave you an order, Master Shifu!" Xian folded his arms. "And since I'm the emperor, you cannot disobey me!"

"He's right, that would be very dishonorable." Su said innocently.

For a moment, Shifu looked like he was going to start shouting. Instead he groaned in exasperation.

"Alright, fine!" He snapped. "But at the first sign of trouble, get yourself out!"

"Fair enough." Xian shrugged. "Shall we then?"

Shifu nodded curtly and he and Xian headed for the door. For a few seconds, Xian stopped and turned.

"Di Tan, would you mind wiping that flabbergasted look off your face and get Su's knee cleaned?"

Di Tan blinked a few times, shook his head, and resumed his dabbing.

"Also, when Masters Viper and Mantis return, be sure to tell them where we are. Oh, and don't tell Tujiu."

"Why not?"

"I don't want him meddling before I can find out exactly what he's been hiding from me."

* * *

As the tiger and the red panda ascended the library stairs, Xian suddenly started chuckling.

"What's so funny?" Shifu asked, still steaming from his defeat.

"You don't realize what just happened, did you?" Xian continued to laugh.

Shifu stared at him.

"Master Shifu, you are the most stubborn red panda I have ever met." Xian said. "It's almost impossible to win an argument against you… but that young girl just did."

Shifu's eyes widened, and then he too started to chuckle. Before either of them knew, both men were covering their mouths as they fought to keep from laughing so hard.

"Sh-She sure handled us, didn't she?" Xain snorted.

"Yes, she sure did!" Shifu replied. "It's usually Master Oogway who could have gotten me to behave!"

"She's a real special kid, alright!" Xian said as he and the still chuckling Shifu reached the top of the stairs. "I haven't laughed like this in years!"

"Neither have I!" Once Shifu had calmed down to an extent, he added; "It feels good."

"Yes… Master Shifu, what's that in your sleeve?"

"Pardon?"

"There's something stuck inside your sleeve."

Shifu reached into the sleeve covering the arm he had raised when adjusting his grip on his staff, and pulled out a familiar piece of brownish black hair.

"What's that?" Xian asked.

Shifu's smile vanished.

When he had entered the library half an hour earlier, he had planned to show Xian the hair he had found on the balcony the night before, but discovering Su's accident had wiped it clean from his mind. The hair must have fallen into his sleeve when he had dropped it in his rush to aid the injured child.

"What's that?" Xian repeated.

"It's hair I discovered on my guestroom balcony last night." Shifu said. "It's very likely that we had been spied on last night."

Xian's smile was wiped from his face.

"Let me see that!"

He grabbed the hair to examine it.

"I had showed it to Tujiu earlier this morning, but he dismissed my concerns." Shifu said as Xian fingered the hair. "I was going to show it to you earlier, but when Su was injured it was wiped clean from my mind. I'm sorry."

"It's alright." Xian said, not taking his eyes off the hair in his paws. "Are you sure this came from someone spying on you?"

"Positive. Last night, Su said she heard breathing coming from the balcony, and I had been meditating in the middle of the room at the time. I highly doubt that she had imagined it."

"Neither do I. She's very bright for her age."

"Emperor Xian, you used to get around a lot before your coronation. What can you make of it?"

"It's not gorilla hair, though it bears a few similarities." Xian murmured. "I don't recall encountering any animal that this hair may belong too."

"I came to the same conclusion." Shifu said. "However, when I told Tujiu, he just insisted that bandits were to blame for the murders and flew off."

"Stubborn militaristic fool." Xian growled. "Come on, let's get into that passage and find out what he's been hiding from us."

Shifu nodded, and the two men stepped up to the passage entrance, which they had decided to leave open when they took Su back to the guestroom. The light of the library lit up the first few steps of what was a very long staircase, but other than that it was pitch black inside.

"Clearly we're going to need a torch for this." Xian grabbed a torch from the bracket closest to the one that was already empty, and headed back to Shifu's side. "After you."

The trip down the stairs was uneventful, and the pair descended in silence. When they reached the bottom, they found the ladder that had brought Su down the stairs, still in one piece despite the accident. It was lying on a floor covered in six inches of dust.

"Best put this to one side." Xian grabbed the ladder and propped it against the bare stone wall as Shifu spotted a glint of gold in the torchlight.

"There you are." He grinned as he lifted Su's precious lucky coin from the floor, brushed off the dust, and tucked it safely inside his robes.

As he did so, he spotted the footprints in the floor and he called for Xian.

"Hey! Over here."

Xian turned away from the ladder and looked down at the floor.

"Footprints." He said. "I recognize this set. A carnivorous bird with sharp talons. And I know only one bird of that description in this fortress."

"Tujiu." Shifu nodded. He looked back down at the floor, and suddenly his blood went cold. "I recognize these two other footprints. They're Po and Crane's. Su was right, they  _have_  been down here."

"Once we get out of here, we should have a word with them about their sleepwalking episode last night."

"Agreed." Shifu nodded. "Come on, let's see where this corridor goes."

And so they resumed their exploration.

The corridor was just as seemingly endless, silent, cold and dark as the staircase. The walls were plan and bare, with none of the exquisite detail that made up the rest of the fortress. They encountered no forks in the road, the footprints continuing straight ahead. Despite their fears, nothing leapt out to attack them, and so they walked in silence, tense and cautious and waiting for something to happen.

"What a warm and homely place." Xian muttered at one point. Shifu didn't reply. His attention was more focused on the metallic object glinting in the torchlight several feet away.

"Xian, look at this."

As they walked closer, they saw that it was a helmet. A helmet that looked to be decades old and bore a small similarity to the imperial soldier's helmet. It was also three times Shifu's full size.

"This definitely wasn't dropped by one of Tujiu's soldiers." Xian said. When he saw the dark brown stains on the metal, he added; "This place has a busy history."

"We'll probably find out more farther down." Shifu said. "Come on."

After five more minutes of silent walking, listening out for scurrying in the distance or any other signs that they were not alone, the corridor suddenly opened out in what must be the largest treasure vault they had ever entered. Gold and priceless gems glimmered in the light of Xian's torch.

"My god…" Xian whispered, as he slowly spun round in awe of the immense wealth, holding up his torch so the light illuminated as much treasure as it could reach. "I can't even begin to imagine what this must be worth. If we somehow find a way to bring this back to China…"

"This kind of wealth would bring the empire into an era of prosperity." Shifu's voice echoed in the massive room. "Somehow it doesn't surprise me anymore that Tujiu kept this kind of wealth from us."

"Wait, let's not jump to conclusions." Xian said. "Let's keep walking and see if there are any other reasons why Tujiu didn't tell us about this place."

Shifu agreed, and they continued down the wide gap amongst the treasure that seemed to cut right down through the middle of the room. At the end they found a large pair of double doors.

"Master Shifu, do you see any sign of a trap?" Xian asked. "Forgive me if I'm being paranoid, but this little trip seems a bit too easy for my liking."

Shifu carefully observed the doors in front of him. He looked up at the floor, and then the ceiling. He saw no sign of a trap.

"Seems safe enough, but let's be careful anyway. You're right, we should have run into some trouble by now. This place reeks of death."

Cautiously the red panda walked up to the door.

"Perhaps I should open it." Xian stepped forward. "I can reach the handles better than you."

Shifu scowled, but stepped aside so Xian could open the door. He pulled on the handle, but nothing happened.

"Locked." He sighed. "And there's no keyhole."

"Let me have a look." Shifu said. He put his ear to the door. There was nothing but silence. After a moment's thought, he rapped his staff on the door to determine the thickness of the wood. His keen hearing determined that it was ten inches thick.

_Is someone there?_

Shifu back away from the door, quick as lightning.

"Did you hear that?" He demanded.

"Hear what?" Xian asked.

"That voice!"

Shifu's heart raced.

The voice had been so faint that at first Shifu had thought it was the sound of his own breathing, but when he realized what it was, a chill had gone up his spine.

"Shifu, what are you talking about?" Xian asked in confusion. "I didn't hear anything."

Shifu shook his head. The dark ambience of the room must be getting to him.

"Never mind, I probably imagined it. Let's get out of here before the torch goes out."

Xian nodded in agreement, and the pair turned away from the door.

_Creeeaaak…_

Shifu and Xian froze.

"You did that…" Xian said. "Didn't you?"

Shifu shook his head.

Slowly, their hearts filling with dread, they turned back round.

One of the doors stood open. There was no sign that anyone had snuck in and opened it for them.

"Okay…" Xian said. Each breath was a silent gasp. "What the  _hell_  is going on around here?"

"I don't know." To his own surprise, Shifu was having trouble maintaining his own cool. None one of the scrolls he had read in all his years of training and teaching had prepared him for something so unexplainable. "Should we risk investigating?"

"Er…" Xian gulped. "I think I've seen enough. What do you say we leave then come back with more people?"

"A lot more people." Shifu added. His mouth had done dry. Though he didn't want to show weakness, the terror in his gut was too much. "That seems like a good idea."

They turned round, and the two figures that suddenly appeared out of the darkness made them both yell.


	31. Sarcophagus

"Viper!" Shifu gasped as he recognized his two students. "Mantis! Don't ever sneak up on us like that again!"

"Sorry, Master." Viper bowed her head slightly. "When we returned from the army camp, Di Tan told us that you and the emperor had discovered a secret passage and had gone inside to investigate."

"And we came down to see if you needed any help." Mantis added.

"Where is Tujiu?" Shifu asked.

"He's waiting for you in the throne room."

"Thank you for your concern, but we've just finished our little exploration." Xian said. "We've found nothing threatening and we were just about to leave when you two showed up."

"Did you find anything interesting?" Mantis asked. "Aside from the mother-load of gold we're standing in the middle of right now?"

"We've discovered this door." Shifu gestured to the open door behind them. "It opened by itself just now, and I don't think going inside is a good idea."

"Are you sure?" Viper asked. "We find something that links this fortress to whatever's killing the soldiers, just like Su suggested."

"What do you mean it opened by itself?" Mantis tilted his head.

"Viper has a point." Xian said. "If there were something in there that would attack us, it would have done it by now. Unless of course it's some kind of booby trap."

"Hey, look at the floor." Viper gestured to the dusty floor with her tail. "The trails of footprints goes through that door."

"Wait a sec, aren't those Po and Crane's footprints?" Mantis asked.

"What?!" Shifu looked sharply down at the stone floor that stretched through the open door and disappeared into the darkness. In the torchlight, several sets of footprints were discernible, two of which definitely belonged to his students.

"What were Po and Crane doing here?" Viper wondered.

"I think the question is ' _why_  were they here?'" Xian said, his eyes narrowed in confusion and suspicion. "I think it's safe to say that the murders are not the only strange things that are happening on this mountain."

"All the more reason to investigate what's through that door." Viper said. "Emperor Xian, Master Shifu, it's your call."

There was a heavy pause.

"I guess it would be foolish to leave the next room without checking it first." Shifu sighed. "I will go first. Mantis, Viper, if something happens, protecting the emperor is the top priority."

"Excuse me, but I can look after myself." Xian said indignantly.

 _You haven't changed a bit,_  Shifu thought with a rueful smirk as he cautiously approached the open door.

"Emperor, may I take your torch for a moment?"

Xian nodded and handed Shifu the torch. Shifu took a deep breath and stepped into the next room.

* * *

Several soldiers rushed over as Crane gently laid the injured Master Eagle Jr. down on the cold ground of the fortress courtyard.

"Master Crane!" A large boar exclaimed as he recognized the famed master. "What happened?"

"I'll explain later, where's the medic?"

"I'll get him!" A mountain cat ran off, sword rattling slightly in its sheath.

A small crowd began to gather around the two avians. Crane heard frightened whispering begin to grow, filling the cold snow filled air.

* * *

Nothing leapt out of the darkness to attack them.

No booby trap sprung out of nowhere to chop their heads off.

After five minutes of cautious exploration, the new room was deemed safe and the foursome relaxed somewhat. Mantis even cracked a joke that the emperor thought highly amusing.

Once they realized that the room was safe, they became more thorough and observant in their exploring. The room was a perfect square shape, the ceiling held up by four thick circular pillars made of the same stone as the rest of the mysterious secret area of the fortress. In the very center of the room was a rectangular stone object, quickly discovered to be a sarcophagus. Images of dragons and a strange bird which they guessed was a fenghuang were engraved in the sides. The lid of the sarcophagus soon turned out to be impossible to move, and the circular indentation on the smooth flat surface indicated that a key of some sort was required.

The walls appeared to be plain and bare at first glance, but as Shifu came closer with the torch he realized that there were images and writing carved into the stone. He tried to decipher it, but the torch was beginning to go out. The orange light was fading by the minute.

"Do you all have a good sense of direction?" Shifu asked. "We might need it soon."

"I have pretty good lay of the rooms." Mantis said. He had also noticed the fading torch.

"Shifu, bring that torch closer to the wall." Xian said. Shifu did as he was told. "Look, I think this wall is some kind of mural. In the center is this strange object. It looks like it's glowing. And all around it, there's these gorillas kneeling before it, like they're worshipping the object." Xian suddenly frowned. "At least, I think they're gorillas…"

"Darnit, we can't see properly in this light." Shifu cursed. "Never mind. Once we've confirmed that this area is completely safe, we can get some more torches down here so we can look at this properly."

"Good idea." Xian said. "Speaking of light, I don't think that torch is going to last much longer."

"You're right." The flames on the torch's head were shrinking, and the darkness was closing in. "I think it's time to leave."

At that moment the flames flickered then went out completely.

"Damn!"

Darkness consumed everything. No-one could see their various limbs in front of their faces.

"Stay where you are!" Shifu's voice echoed. "Is everyone in a group?"

"I think so."

'Yeah."

"More or less."

"Alright…" Shifu tossed aside the useless torch and thrust his staff forward into the darkness. "Alright, I'm holding out my staff. While staying where you are, I want you to reach out, find and grab the staff."

In a few seconds, he felt a pair of paws, a tail and an insects forelegs grip the staff.

"Very good. Now let's calmly head in the direction of the doors…"

He suddenly heard the scraping of stoning somewhere to his right.

"What was that?" He heard Xian speak in alarm by his side.

"That door didn't just shut itself, did it?" Viper asked worriedly.

"It can't be, the door's in the opposite direction." Shifu said.

"Hey, there's light over there!" Mantis yelled.

Indeed, an orange glow appeared some distance away. When Xian saw the light, he said;

"Hey, I think that's a set of stairs over there. Leading upwards…"

"It looks like a second passage has opened up." Viper said. "Strange… something must have set it off, but we didn't touch anything."

"Anything except the sarcophagus." Mantis said. "But I don't see how touching that could have activated anything. We couldn't budge that lid an inch."

"Shifu, what do you think?" Xian asked. "Should we check it out?"

"Might as well." Shifu muttered. "Let's go. And do not let go of the staff until we reach the light."

* * *

Tujiu's talons clicked on the stone floor of the exquisite throne room as he paced back and forth in frustration. Nearby, Colonel Sao stood waiting patiently for the grandmaster's arrival.

"Where is that miniature old fool?" Tujiu growled as he continued to pace. "First he sends two of his students down to summon me back to the fortress, then he has the nerve to not show up? And why did that stupid cook refuse to tell us where he has gone?"

"With all due respect sir, I don't think insulting the emperor's closest friends is a good idea." Sao spoke. "If he or one of the masters had heard you say that… well you're in deep enough trouble already."

For a moment Sao thought that he had perhaps gone too far, but Tujiu merely sighed and stopped pacing.

"You are right. I have to keep a cool head. For god's sake, where is that red panda?"

"Probably have a last minute discussion with the emperor." Sao replied calmly. His superior had been extremely agitated lately. "The cook did mention that he and Master Shifu were busy at the moment."

Tujiu's eyes narrowed with worry.

"Sir…" Sao hesitated. "Do you think we should possibly… tell them the truth?"

Tujiu looked up sharply.

"That is out of the question!" He snarled.

"I mean the truth of what we're really dealing with!" Sao amended quickly. "By now, I think they will have figured out that we are not actually dealing with bandits here. It won't look good for us if we are discovered to have been lying all along."

Tujiu's livid expression relaxed slightly. He turned his gaze to the floor in thought, clearly considering Sao's suggestion.

He looked back up at Sao, about to reply, when they heard the sound of scraping rock.

"What the hell was that?" Sao quickly got into a stance, his paw reaching for his sword.

The sound was coming from the throne. To their astonishment, they saw that the back of the throne was moving.

"What in god's name…" Tujiu stared as a dark hole opened up where the back of the throne had been seconds before, and from it emerged Master Shifu, Viper, Mantis and Emperor Xian.

"Woah…" Mantis stared at his new surroundings as Tujiu and Sao looked on in amazement. "Looks like we found a shortcut." He spotted the two shocked military men. "Oh, how are you doing?"

"Where the hell did you all come from?" Tujiu demanded, partly furious with himself that he had not been aware of this other passage.

He recoiled slightly when he saw Shifu's accusing expression. Xian looked equally angry.

"General Tujiu, why didn't you tell us about the tomb?" The emperor asked sinisterly.

_Oh hell._

"General, you have some explaining to do!" Shifu growled. He was about to say more, when the throne room door opened and a lone soldier rushed into the room.

"What's the matter now?" Tujiu whirled around in exasperation.

"Sir, it's about the travelling party that left this morning!" The soldier panted. "They were ambushed at the tunnel entrance!"

"What did you say?" Shifu said sharply, his anger switching to panic in a heartbeat.

"One of the masters was badly injured." The soldier went on.

_Not Tigress, please…_

"He's currently being treated for a broken wing and several cracked ribs…"

"Oh my god, CRANE!"

The soldier was knocked off his feet as Viper frantically slithered from the room.

* * *

As Eagle Jr. was being treated in one of the spare rooms in the fortress, Crane got the shock of his life when he turned around and saw a green tree viper flying at him.

"Crane!" Viper cried, and Crane choked as she wrapped her entire body around and nearly hugged him to death.

"V-Viper! I can't breathe!"

"Sorry!" Viper quickly released him. "Oh god, you're not too badly hurt are you? When I heard what had happened, I was so worried… you nearly scared me to death, you stupid bird!"

Crane blushed as the snake struggled to calm herself.

"Er, I'm glad you were worried about me, but I'm fine." He replied. "Eagle Jr.'s the one who's injured."

"Oh." Viper's eyes widened in surprise and embarrassment. "Oh, um, I… how is he?"

"His wing's not as badly broken as we'd thought, and a couple of ribs are cracked." The medic emerged at that very moment, saving Crane from having to answer. "Other than that he's okay. Kung fu warriors are very fast healers, so he should fully recover in about a month or so."

"Thank goodness." Viper sighed in relief before turning back to Crane. "Crane, what on earth happened up there?"

"It was waiting for us."

"What?"

"That thing. It knew we would come to investigate the landslide. It was a gosh darn ambush."

"An ambush?!"

"Yeah. Luckily Eagle Jr. managed to wound it pretty badly and force it to retreat, otherwise we all probably would have been screwed."

"Crane!" Shifu, Mantis and Emperor Xian suddenly burst into the hallway. "What happened? Where are the others?!"

"Er-I-"

"Where are they?!"

"I… uh…"

"WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?!"

"She's fine!" Eagle Jr. hollered suddenly. Everyone turned to face the avian as he staggered from the room, his injured wing strapped to his side. "She's with the Dragon Warrior and Monkey! They're on their way, they had to walk back."

Shifu stared at him. None of them had seen him look so panicked before.

"Master Shifu, I understand that you're worried, but the medic gave me some sleeping draught and I still can't sleep. Keep it down will you? Besides, shouting like that isn't good for morale."

Shifu seethed, but seemed to understand Eagle Jr.'s point and kept quiet.

"Eagle Jr., are you sure the others are okay?" Xian asked.

"Yes. They should be back in a couple of…"

"Master Shifu?"

Shifu jumped a little when he heard Su speak right next to him.

"Su, what happened to your knee?" Viper gasped when she saw the child's bandaged leg.

"I fell over." Su replied. "Master Shifu, what's going on? Why are you shouting?"

"It's nothing." Shifu replied quickly. "I'm sorry, did I disturb you?"

"Sorta. And Master Shifu, please don't fib. I can tell when you are. What happened?"

Shifu sighed. He had forgotten that Su knew how to detect a liar.

"Crane and the others ran into some trouble outside the fortress. A few injuries were involved."

"Oh no!" Su gasped. "What attacked them?"

"We're not really sure what it was." Crane was the one who answered. "But whatever it was, it wasn't a bandit."

"Oh come on!" Tujiu scoffed as he and Sao entered the hallway at that very moment. "What else could it be? Besides, are most of the bandits you face on a daily basis great hulking beasts?"

"Shut up, Tujiu!" Xian snapped. "Crane, can you tell us exactly what happened?"

Crane shook off some of the melted snow on his feathers.

"We reached the landslide, and while we were examining the damage, this huge… freaky monster burst out of a snowdrift and attacked us. It almost killed Po, but we were able to fight it off, and Eagle Jr. managed to wound its neck, but not fatally. It managed to injure him, though, as you can see. It must have realized that its wound was serious, because after nearly killing Eagle Jr. it just ran off."

"Huh, probably a smart move on its part, since it was Eagle Jr. that injured it." Xian said. "You're all probably lucky to be alive. And if it's wounded, I doubt it will give Tigress and the others any trouble on their way back." Xian directed his last sentence at Shifu, who did not relax. "In any case, I think it's clear that leaving the fortress is no longer safe. Master Shifu, I would advise that you don't send your students out again until we find out what we're up against."

"I'll also send out an order to confine the imperial army to the army camp." Tujiu said. "It's imperative that we prevent any more deaths." Finally, he displayed some common sense. "After that, I'll- what are you staring at, kid?"

He glared down at Su, who seemed deep in thought as she gazed up at him.

"It's funny." Su said. "Why did you call it a 'great hulking beast'?"

"Because that was how Crane described it, obviously!" Tujiu snorted. "Honestly, Shifu, why is this child even here?"

"Hey, you watch your mouth when you are talking about Su!" Viper hissed.

"Huh." Su tilted her head. "But he didn't describe it. At least not before you spoke. You must be really good at figuring things out! You knew what it looked like, even though you never saw it before!"


	32. I Was

"How did she figure it out?"

Colonel Sao looked at the general in confusion.

"How did the child figure out that I knew more than I was telling them before the adults did?" The agitated Tujiu muttered.

"Sir, I think I should point out that the girl did not 'figure it out', as you put it." Sao replied calmly. "She merely noticed that you said something odd and pointed that out. After that, it wasn't difficult for Master Shifu to figure it out himself."

After Su's fateful comment in the hallway outside the room where Master Eagle Jr. had been treated, it hadn't been long until General Tujiu and Colonel had become the center of attention. Now that the game was up, Shifu had ordered the pair of them to go to the private study and stay there until he could interrogate them. At first Tujiu had attempted to use his authority as commander-in-chief to refuse, but then Emperor Xian gave the order himself and then he had no choice but to comply. And now here they were, confined in the study like punished children sent to their rooms, cursing a certain young panda girl.

"No, she knew." Tujiu snarled. His talons dug grooves in the stone floor. "I saw it in her eyes. She knew that I was lying all along, and was waiting for just the right moment to point it out."

"Sir, you don't know that."

"Oh I know all right!"

"Sir, she's just a child."

"Who has an uncanny ability to notice things most adults don't!"

Sao prepared to reply, but then he had a recent memory of a book written in a strange language, and a young girl reading the title perfectly.

"Come to think of it…" The fox said slowly, unsure whether or not proceeding was a good idea, considering the general's current mood. "That girl has recent displayed signs of having abnormally high intelligence."

This made Tujiu look up from the map he was glaring at.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for instance she had displayed an ability to speak multiple languages." Sao said. "It surprised even the kung fu masters."

"A six or seven year old girl speaking several languages?" Tujiu peered at the fox. "That's hard to believe."

"I know. And that's not all she's done. Apparently she was the one who discovered the secret passage."

"You're joking!"

"Sir, I've been your subordinate for seven years. You know I don't joke. Anyway, according to Di Tan…" The colonel had secretly spoken to the elderly chef earlier. "She noticed something out of place on the torch bracket that opens the entrance."

"Again, her ability to notice things others don't!" Tujiu snapped. "I'm telling you, she knows more about us than the others do!"  
"I must admit, she's showing strong evidence of being a genius." Sao said. "But I still think you are jumping to conclusions."

"All the same, I want you to keep a close eye on that child from now on!" Tujiu retorted. "Is that clear, Colonel?"

"Yes." Sao sighed.

"Good. Now hush, I think that's Shifu coming now!"

Indeed, two seconds later the door opened and Master Shifu and Emperor Xian stepped into the room, along with the Dragon Warrior and Master Crane. So Shifu had been waiting for the rest of his students to return before interrogation. Strangely, Po and Crane both looked very confused as to why they were here.

"Sit down." Xian said coldly. Tujiu and Sao didn't need telling twice.

There was a heavy pause in the room that lasted for some time.

"You have not been honest with us, general." Shifu eventually spoke. His gaze was like a stone drill. "What do you know about the killings? And I want the truth this time."

"So do I." Xian said. His arms were folded on the map table. "Each time you answer our questions untruthfully, and we'll find out sooner or later if you are, I'm going to pull out a feather. And trust me, I will pull it out from a place which you will find very painful."

Tujiu set his lower beak.

"First question…" Shifu said. "What are we really dealing with?"

"I swear on my tail feathers that I do not know." Just as Xian was getting up from the table, he added; "All I know that this isn't the first time it has killed."

"What do you mean?" Shifu asked. Po and Crane remained silent.

"For the past fifteen years, soldiers, travellers, anyone venturing close to this area of the Himalayas has disappeared. These murders are the first instance of someone turning up dead."

"Go on." Xian didn't sit back down.

"It all started when a small imperial unit ventured into the mountains fifteen years ago and was massacred. When another unit went to investigate, several of them were also killed. A survivor gave a crude description of the creature. That's how I know what it looks like." Tujiu said.

"Why didn't you tell us this before?" Shifu asked. "Why did you keep insisting that bandits were the cause of these deaths?"

"I didn't want to alarm my men." Tujiu said. This was the less than honest part of his answer, and he was careful to keep from showing any signs of lying. "Quite a few of them are superstitious, and if word got out of a 'demon' killing the troops, it could cause hysteria."

"You must admit, that's pretty understandable, Master Shifu." Po spoke up.

Shifu didn't answer the panda.

"Second question… why didn't you tell us about that secret passage?"

"Secret passage?" Po and Crane spoke simultaneously.

"You evidently found the treasure vault." Tujiu said. Po and Crane suddenly looked pale, though the vulture couldn't understand why. "The answer's obvious. It would be dangerous if anyone other than myself, Colonel Sao here, and the soldiers who discovered the passage to find out about such a massive quantity of wealth. Even in the imperial army, there are those who would stop at nothing to obtain such riches."

"What about that tomb?" Xian asked. "What do you know about-"

CRASH!

Everyone jumped and stared at the giant panda. Po had slipped off his chair, his eyes wide as dinner plates.

"T-Tomb?!" He gasped. Crane also looked stunned into near-speechlessness. "Are you telling me that secret passage was real?!"

"Po, please pick yourself up." Shifu said, before turning back to Tujiu. "As Emperor Xian was saying, what do you know about the tomb?"

"Not much, I'm afraid." Tujiu replied. "We were unable to open the sarcophagus. I take it you didn't have any luck either?"

Shifu shook his head.

"Is there anything else you wish to tell us?" Xian asked. "This is your last chance for leniency. If we find out anything more that you've been hiding from us after tonight, you will regret ever lying to me."

"There is nothing else." Tujiu replied coolly.

Shifu and Xian gazed at him intensely for a few silent seconds, and then got up from the table.

"Alright, we'll take your word for it this time." Xian said. "But tomorrow, I want a full report on everything you have learned about this fortress, rooms, machinery, valuable objects, everything. Is that clear?"

"Yes." Tujiu struggled to hide his displeasure.

Xian and Shifu turned to leave, and the red panda gestured for Po and Crane to do the same.

Once the emperor and the three masters had disappeared through the door, Tujiu dug his talons so viciously into the map table he actually tore a chunk out of the edge.

"Sir?" Sao felt a twinge of fear as he watched the general take his anger out on the wooden table.

"Leave me alone." The vulture replied with a voice of pure venom.

Sao bowed respectfully before hastily exiting.

"… and after the weird demon thing killed me, I woke up in front of the bookcase." Po finished his disturbing tale. He, Crane, and Master Shifu were sitting alone in one of the guestrooms, Xian having had returned to his own room to be alone with his thoughts. In one corner of the room, Mantis was eating the last of Di Tan's scrumptious dinner.

After Po, Tigress and Monkey had returned to the fortress safe and sound, a very relieved Shifu had thoroughly interrogated them on everything that had happened. After giving a good description of the creature which had attacked them, Tigress had also added that the rubble blocking the tunnel entrance would take only a few days to clear, something the others were relieved to hear. At the moment, Master Eagle Jr. was recuperating in a spare room three doors down, Di Tan was washing dishes in the kitchen, Su was in Shifu's room resting her knee, and Viper and Tigress were in their own room. Monkey, meanwhile was spending an unusual amount of time in the library, notably in the mythical creatures section.

"That's how my dream ended too." Crane said, bringing back Shifu's attention. "Except instead of having my neck broken I was stabbed through the heart."

"Hey, Master." Mantis hopped over with his empty plate. "You know, I once heard this old fairy tale about a cursed statue that killed anyone who tried to take it off its pedestal…"

"Mantis, are you suggesting that the treasure we found is cursed?" Po cocked a brow.

"No, I just…" Mantis replied quickly. "I think something really bad happened here. And those dreams may have been a warning."

There was silence in the room for some time.

"We're sorry, Master. If we'd known that the secret passage was real, we would have told you sooner." Crane broke the silence.

"It's alright." Shifu waved away the apology. "Actually, no, it's not alright. The more we learn about this place, the more I feel that there is much more to it than meets the eye. And no, it is not a good feeling."

"What should we do?" Po asked.

"Nothing."

"What?"

"Mantis, you may have a point about those dreams being a warning. For now, we should leave that passage alone and focus on the mission at hand. Do you all agree?"

Everyone nodded quickly.

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to relay this information to the emperor."

"Viper…" Tigress spoke slyly as she climbed out of the bathtub and wrapped herself in a warm towel. "Mantis told me earlier that you were freaking out when you thought Crane had been seriously injured today."

Viper who had been waiting by the open door for her turn to use the bath, turned a brilliant shade of red.

"Whuh-what?!" She hissed. "I did no such thing!"

"Really? I know five or six people who would say otherwise."

"Oh, shut up!"

Tigress smirked as she rubbed her body dry and then put on her clothes. She gestured to Viper that the bath was free, and the snake gave her a death glare as she entered the bathroom.

"Look can we not talk about what happened to you and the others right now?" Viper demanded as she slid into the tub. "I haven't had a decent wash in weeks and I want to relax!"

"Okay, okay…" Tigress replied. However the moment she left the bathroom…

"I was just worried, okay?!" Viper shouted. "Wouldn't you be if one of your friends got hurt?!"

Tigress rolled her eyes and stepped back into the bathroom. Viper was poking her head out the tub, her scaly cheeks still scarlet.

"Viper, just admit it. You have feelings for him."

Viper hissed.

"Well, so do you!"

That caught Tigress off guard.

"What?" She put her paws on her hips.

"I mean Po!" Viper hissed again. "I've seen the way you smile whenever he enters the room! You have feelings too and you know it!"  
"Uh- guh- I do not!" Tigress exclaimed. Why were her cheeks burning up? "And even if I did, I wouldn't blurt out my feelings and why I like him so much like every god-forsaken teenager in the empire!"

"Oh really?" Viper asked slyly. "So even though it's been years since Po became the Dragon Warrior, you still don't like him?"

"Of course I do!"

"Oh ho…"

"As a friend! We are just friends! For god's sake, why does everyone have to be about romance with you?"

"Because unlike you, I know love when I see it."

"We are just friends." Tigress repeated with a growl. She was now severely regretting ever starting this conversation in the first place.

"Ming didn't seem to think so."

"Excuse me?"

"You remember that panda lady Po went on a date with when we went to his father's village?"

"Yes, and Ming decided to end things before it started. So?" Suddenly Tigress's eyes widened as she realized what Viper was getting at. "No, don't be ridiculous! She wouldn't end things with Po just because she thinks I like him!"

"Then why else would she?" Viper asked. "Ming didn't seem like the type to end a relationship just because Po hasn't fully mastered table manners yet."

"No." Tigress admitted. "I don't know why she did it. Though Po has his faults, he's a good guy." She paused, then muttered to herself. "I wish I'd realized that before I called him a disgrace to kung fu."

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Viper can we drop this?"

"Alright, fine." Viper sighed dramatically as she lounged in the bathwater. "What was I thinking, there's no possible way you could have feelings for that panda. After all, you're so hardcore you don't feel anything!"

She knew that Viper was being sarcastic, but the moment those words left Viper's mouth, Tigress's shoulders slumped. She bit her lip and her eyes narrowed.

"You know what, screw you. I'm going to bed."

Tigress stormed out the bathroom before Viper could say anything else, and climbed into her bed. As she stared up at the ceiling, listening to the small splashing sounds of Viper bathing emanating from the bathroom, she thought of Viper had said.

She had heard those words before…

"We're warriors, right? Nerves of steel! Souls of platinum! Like you. So hardcore you don't feel anything."

Tigress's eyes widened as those words hit her harder than the light hearted punch Po gave to her arm seconds later. She gazed down at the deck of the boat, recalling the day Po was chosen as the Dragon Warrior, and the things she had said to him then.

"I was…"

Really that heartless to you? Tigress had been about to say, that night on the river leading to Gongmen City, but the unexpected interruption of the other members of the five had prevented her from ever finishing that sentence.

Tigress heard Viper slither out of the tub and grab a second towel.

Come to think of it, Tigress and Po had never had a chance to finish that conversation.


	33. Calligraphy

"SHAGABOOEY!" Po hollered as he went for his trademark belly slam. Crane took a step backwards and Po's large belly came up short by inches. Crane retaliated with a front kick towards Po's groin, and Po blocked with his forearm. With his free arm, the panda swung to knock Crane's vulnerable leg out from under him, only for his opponent to lift a foot into the air with one flap of his wings, lifting his leg above Po's swinging arm. Po grinned in satisfaction that the distraction had worked, and with his blocking arm he twisted his wrist, and grabbed Crane's other leg. Crane realized what was about to happen just in time, and smacked Po's paw with the hard bony edge of his wing. Po didn't let go, so Crane attempted the front kick again, striking Po's knee and making him stagger backwards with a grunt.

The two warriors glared at each other.

"You ready to fold yet?" Crane asked coldly.

"You kidding?" Po replied with an icy smile, as he rubbed his knee. "I haven't had a decent fight since we got here!"

Crane ran at the panda and Po ran at the bird.

Po lunged first as they closed in on each other. Crane crossed his wings in front of his face, and both limbs took the full impact. His hollow bones vibrated from the impact, but didn't shatter.

For a couple of seconds, both panda and crane strained against each other, Po's fist struggling to break through Crane's wings, and Crane's wings struggling to maintain a strong barrier.

Then Po succeeded, Crane ducking just in time to avoid a black furry fist of fury. Po let out a quick grunt of frustration before attempting another punch. Crane reached out with one wing letting Po's fist strike it by the side. Just like with countless arrows, Po's fist slid along the feathery surface and away from its original target. Po scowled, moments before he struck Crane in the chest with the open palm of his other paw. Crane cried out, momentarily stunned, and Po lunged forward, taking his chance…

And then Crane had dodged, moving past Po, whose momentum kept him flying forward. With a grin Crane whirled round, facing Po's back, then gave him a kick in the rear. Po yelped, stumbled but kept his balance. He spun round to face Crane.

"You're gonna get it now!" he yelled.

"Bring it, ya big lug." Crane replied.

This time Crane attacked first. With his wings of justice technique, Crane flapped his wings and sent a powerful gust of wind at the panda. Po crossed his arms in front of him and positioned his feet for a defensive position. It worked, the gust of wind only sending him back half a foot.

"Crap." Crane muttered, and lunged with a kick aiming for Po's face. Po blocked again and struck the avian with a side swing of his heavily padded hip. The impact sent Crane flying into a bedside table with a crash.

"Ha ha!" Po cried out in triumph… a second before a heavy elephant figurine struck him square in the forehead.

Po staggered on the spot, stars dancing in front of his eyes, and then regained his focus just as Crane came flying at him with a leg raised to kick. Po ducked, reaching up with his arm at the same time, grabbed Crane's leg, and swung him onto one of the beds. Crane bounced off the bed's surface and collided with the ceiling. He fell back onto the bed and did not move.

"Ha! The Dragon Warrior has defeated you!" Po danced on the spot in victory. "Skadoosh! You are defeated! Crane?" he hesitated. Crane wasn't moving. "Crane?"

Po's ecstatic grin faded. Worried, he headed over to the bed where Crane was lying.

"Crane?"

He leaned over the motionless bird.

"Crane?"

WHAM!

A swift kick to the jaw sent Po flying into the other bed.

Crane sat up on the bed with an amused grin.

"Sneak attack!" He declared. "Never let your guard down during a battle!"

"Oh it's on, now." Po said to himself. He rubbed his jaw and got up from the bed. Crane did the same.

Again, the two warriors faced each other.

"I am gonna wipe the floor with ya, ya big feather duster!" Po said.

Crane merely laughed and lunged forward, just as Po did the same.

* * *

"Monkey, why did you have to bring your dad's swords?" Mantis sighed as he emerged from the bathroom to find his friend polished the two glimmering blades. "You know they're just going to bring you bad memories."

"I just figured my father would have wanted me to put them to good use." Monkey said without looking at him. His tone indicated that he wanted the topic dropped, so Mantis switched to something else.

"You know that secret passage me and the others found this afternoon?" He spoke up.

"You told me about it after Shifu grilled me over what happened at the tunnel entrance. Why?"

"While I was down in the treasure vault, I saw this awesome bug sized diamond necklace. I was thinking of sneaking it back to the valley and giving it to my girlfriend Anming at her next birthday."

"Huh. Cool." Monkey said, and returned to his polishing.

Mantis frowned. Normally Monkey would crack a joke.

"Monkey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Monkey's eyes told otherwise as he gazed down at the swords.

"I knew it." Mantis said. "Those swords are giving you bad memories!"

"Hey, these are my father's prized blades you're talking about!"

"Sorry, Monkey." Mantis quickly backed down. "At least wrap them back up and put them under the bed after you're done polishing. You'll probably feel better."

CRASH!

Monkey nearly sliced his hand open as both warriors jumped in shock.

"What the hell was that?!" Mantis gasped.

"It sounded like it came from Po and Crane's room." Monkey's expression was grim as he grabbed one of the swords and raced out the room. Mantis gulped as he followed.

In the corridor they were met by Viper and Tigress, who both looked equally startled.

"You guys heard it too?" Monkey asked.

Tigress and Viper nodded. They all turned towards Po and Crane's door.

"One…" Tigress counted, one paw on the handle. "Two…"

She thrust the door open, and all four warriors burst into the room… and stared at the panda and crane rolling about on the floor in between the two beds. At the far side where the closed doors to the balcony were located was an abandoned calligraphy set.

"Taste my fist!"

"Not before you taste my foot!"

" _Pitooe!_  Get your tail feathers out of my mouth!"

"What the hell are you idiots doing?" Tigress demanded as she and Monkey stepped forward and wrenched the two fighters apart.

"Tigress!" Po gasped for breath as he freed himself from her grip and staggered to his feet. "I'm so sorry, did we wake you?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." Tigress replied. Viper nodded in annoyed agreement. "Again, what were you two doing?"

"Sorry, Tigress, we can't say!" Crane panted as Monkey held him firmly. "It's strictly guys' business!"

"Tigress, I wouldn't push it!" Mantis said quickly when Tigress opened her mouth. "If they say it's guys' stuff, then you girls don't wanna know!"

Tigress did not reply at first, seemingly considering Mantis's advice, and then sighed in annoyance.

"Monkey, let him go."

Monkey released Crane.

"If you guys are going to continue fighting, then keep it at a low volume!" Viper hissed. "Don't forget that there is a little girl and an emperor trying to sleep not too far from here!"

"Don't worry, there won't be any more fighting tonight!" Po said quickly. "We're really sorry."

"Yeah, we're sorry." Crane added.

"You are forgiven. Viper, let's head back to back."

Tigress gave them a brief "goodnight" then left the room with Viper.

"Goodnight, guys." Monkey said as he and Mantis also left.

Po and Crane fell back onto their respective beds, still struggling to regain their breath.

"Crane, this is ridiculous." Po said as he stared up at the ceiling. "I think I owe you an apology too."

"Vice versa." Crane replied. "You go first, since you started it."

"Technically you started it, but okay…" Po said. "Crane, I'm sorry that I said that the only reason you do calligraphy is because you're practicing for your love letter."

"Apology accepted." Crane replied. "Po, I'm sorry I kicked you in the bean buns and said 'now you and Tigress will never have kids'."

"That's okay." Po sat up. "It's getting late. Whaddya say we hit the sack?"

"Sure, that's a good idea." Crane yawned. "Just let me finish my calligraphy."

"Hey, just out of curiosity…" Po said. "Why do you practice calligraphy? I've never been able to get why people do it."

"It helps me to unwind after a hard day's training or a harrowing battle." Crane explained. "And since today was the second time I've almost been killed by a monster in the two days I've been here, I'm probably going to be doing this all night."

"Yeah right." Po smirked. "I'll find Di Tan and see if he's ready to turn in." the panda got up from the bed and left the room, quietly shutting the door behind him. With his absence, silence filled the room.

Crane continued to lie down on the bed for a moment longer before getting up and righting the bedside table that had been overturned in their battle. After half a minute of searching for the elephant figurine he had flung at Po's head, he found it in the corner, completely undamaged, and put it back on the table. The single candle that lit the room flickered, casting strange sharp shadows over the figurine. Its blank eyes peered at him with what looked unnervingly like pure hatred.

"Darn, you're creepy." Crane muttered, and turned away from the elephant. With a sigh and another yawn, he finished cleaning up and then slowly walked over to the calligraphy set that had been miraculously undisturbed during their fight. Crane carefully pushed the candle away for the sake of safety, picked up his brush, then scowled as he spotted the ink stain on the floor.

Darn. He'll have to get that cleaned up before someone notices. He quickly rushed into the bathroom, grabbed a bucket and cloth, and returned to the bedroom and wiped up the ink before it could dry.

"Phew." Crane set the bucket and blackened cloth aside and picked up his brush again.

_Now… what symbol should I start with?_

_How about death? No, I've seen more than enough today._

_Battle? Just had one._

_Love? No, if the guys saw it, I'd never hear the end of it._

_Confidence? Yeah, that will do._

With a small smile, he dipped the brush into the ink pot, then lowered it to the blank paper. He slowly drew a long line down the right hand side of the paper, with grew in thickness as the ink expanded.

_Graceful… calm… just as Shifu taught you…_

When Crane looked up for a moment to make sure the candle was still burning strongly, he saw the elephant figurine standing on the floor in front of him, staring right into his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Crane muttered. "Didn't I put you on the table?"

The figurine said nothing. All it did was stare.

"Whatever." Crane returned to his paper, but soon found the figurine hard to ignore.

Still he tried, dipping his brush into the pot and making the first horizontal line at the top of the paper.

Then an invisible something gripped the bone inside his leg and shifted it in the opposite direction.

Before Crane could register what had happened, his brush holding foot shifted again, this time in a violent motion sending a huge ink line spreading across the very bottom of the paper. The leg shifted violently to the right, nearly twisting itself and knocking over the ink pot. It shifted again with a mind of its, own, as Crane's other leg fought to keep him balanced. Then the brush holding leg switched to the other side of the page so viciously that a seam on the side of his pants ripped. But the leg didn't stop there. It moved again, this time taking most of Crane's body with it… again, again, again, again, again, again, Crane lost balance, but the leg moved again, dragging his body through the air before it could hit the floor, again, again, again, again, again, againagainagainagainagainagainagainagainagainagaga inagainagainagainagainagainagainagainagainagainaga inagainagainagainagainagainagainagainagainagainaga inagainagainagainagainagainagainagainagainagainaga inagainagainagainagainagainagainagainagainagainaga inagainagainagainagainagainagainagainagainagain and then just as quickly as it started it stopped, and Crane toppled backwards, the brush falling from his grip, his rear smacking against the floor.

For moment, all was still. Crane gasped in exhaustion, his mind reeling.

And then  _it_ appeared, standing straight and still as a corpse in a coffin opposite the page, staring down at him with eyes he couldn't see. Crane could do nothing except stare back. He couldn't even speak or get up from the floor.

_Look._

The demon pointed with a black finger towards the paper. Crane looked down at what his leg had done. He stared at the paper for a long time.

When he lifted his head again,  _it_  was gone.


	34. What was on the Paper

"I am so sorry for staying up so late." Di Tan said as he walked alongside the Dragon Warrior down the corridor leading to the guestrooms.

"Ah, don't worry about it." Po said reassuringly. "Anyone would take forever if they made that kind of mess in the kitchen."

"I honestly have no idea how that bag of flour managed to topple over." Di Tan sighed. They stopped for a moment outside the guestroom. "It was like a self-raising blizzard indoors!"

Po laughed at the joke. He grabbed the handle and stepped first into the bedroom.

"Crane, are ya nearly done with your..." He faltered when he saw Crane collapsed in a heap at the opposite side of the room, staring down at the paper in front of him. The ink pot had been knocked over, its contents splattered across the floor like black demon blood. The avian was breathing heavily, seemingly unaware that the panda had just returned.

"Crane, are you alright?"

When Crane didn't answer, a worried Po walked over to him, while a confused Di Tan remained in the doorway. Po knelt down in front of Crane, opposite the page, and waited for his friend to register his presence.

"Crane, what's wrong?"

Growing impatient despite his concern, Po reached out and placed a paw on Crane's feathered shoulder. Crane jumped, startled at the touch, and looked up for the first time. His eyes continued to stare at nothing in particular.

"Crane…" Po tried again. "What happened?"

Crane said nothing. He looked like he was in shock. Po turned his attention to the paper between them. It was covered edge to edge in thick streaks of ink.

"Woah, I don't think I've ever seen that sort of symbol before." Po scowled as he tried to make out what the image on the paper represented. Then he remembered that from his perspective it was upside down, so he carefully removed the stones that kept the paper spread out on the floor. Crane made no move to stop him as he lifted the paper and turned it the right way.

Po's blood froze and the fur on the back of his neck stood on end.

" _Master Shifu!_ "

* * *

By the time Master Shifu, Po, Crane, Tigress, Monkey, Mantis, Viper and Emperor Xian had gathered in the main bedroom, Crane had gotten over the shock. He had insisted he was fine, but Viper still insisted on making him a cup of sweet tea. And so Crane sipped from the biggest cup Viper could find while Shifu and Xian peered intensely at the paper. Di Tan had been sent away to make sure Su wasn't left alone. Aside from Po and Crane, no-one else in the room had seen what was on the paper.

"Crane, are you sure you're alright?" Viper asked for the twenty sixth time (Crane had counted).

"I'm fine." Crane said, secretly enjoying the attention. He was about to thank her for the tea when Shifu spoke up.

"Crane, tell me again exactly what happened."

Crane sighed. He had already told his story to Po, then to the rest of his friends, then to Shifu, then to the emperor, and then to Shifu again.

"A little while after Po left to find Di Tan, I started on my calligraphy." He began. "At first, everything was normal, but then out of nowhere something started controlling my leg... and did that." Crane pointed to the paper and shivered as he remembered the terrifying incident. "When it was over, the creature from mine and Po's dream appeared and told me to look down at the paper. I did, and when I looked up again it was gone."

"At least you didn't get killed again!" Mantis tried to lighten the mood, only to receive a hiss from Viper and an uncharacteristic glare from Po.

"Master, with the utmost respect, may we please see the paper now?" Tigress requested, as curious as anyone as to what Crane had done under the influence of the strange force that had affected them for the second time since they came to the fortress.

Shifu looked at Xian, the one with the highest authority in the room. Xian nodded in consent, and Shifu turned the paper on the table so everyone could see it.

At first glance, the paper appeared to consist of a mess of black streaks, but as they gazed upon it they could make out a massive figure that could only be the creature that had attacked them earlier in the day, spearing a smaller figure through the torso with a long, narrow, cone shaped object. The smaller figure had a long tail and appeared to be wielding a pair of blades. Small streaks of black spread out from behind the smaller figure like blood spatter.

"What the hell is this?" Tigress whispered, looking thoroughly freaked out.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Crane said. "Just because I drew it doesn't mean I know what it is."

"Well, whatever made you do this must be flat out sick in the head." Tigress growled. "Bat-crap insane."

Mantis gulped as he felt a flicker of recognition at the smaller figure.

"Guys… you don't think this paper is showing the… future, do you?"

"What makes you say that?" Xian asked.

"It's just that…" Mantis gulped again. "That smaller guy looks a lot like… M-Monkey."

"That's not me." Monkey said at once. He had turned pale and grim since he had set eyes on the paper.

Shifu turned his head sharply in Monkey's direction.

"Oh really?" He asked. "If that isn't you, then who is he?"

Monkey seemed to sense Shifu's agitation, and shut up at once.

"What should we do?" Tigress asked.

"For now, we should rest for the night." Shifu said after a pause for thought. "Tomorrow, I will ask General Tujiu and Colonel Sao if anything like this has happened before. As for you all, go down to the army camp and talk to the soldiers. They might also have had strange experiences. Now go back to bad. Tomorrow may be a long day."

The students bowed and returned to their respective rooms, while Shifu and Xian remained, staring down at the paper.

"Xian, is something wrong?" Shifu asked. "You didn't look very happy when I was giving orders to my students."

"Master…" Xian said. Shifu was taken aback. Xian hadn't addressed him like that since he was a student. "Are you sure we should let Tujiu in on this?"

"Why are you reluctant? He may know something useful."

"I don't trust him."

Shifu sighed.

"I don't like him very much either, but he is the commander in chief. We have to co-operate with him if we want him to co-operate with us."

Xian leaned down, folding his arms on the table as he continued to gaze down at the paper.

"Master… do you know how Tujiu became promoted to general?"

"I have never cared much for military history. How did he get promoted?"

Xian sat down on one of the comfortable chairs.

"A long time ago, when he was still known as Colonel Heng, he was one of those in command during the War of the Southern Clans. Near the end of the war, he planned a surprise attack on the most powerful and last remaining clan. It was a complete success, and for his smart thinking he was promoted to general. Around that time, he changed his name to Tujiu because to him it was a much better name than Heng."

"What really happened?" Shifu asked.

"In order for the surprise attack to be successful, they needed someone as bait. Under the utmost secrecy, he had a small group of soldiers venture alone into enemy territory. While the enemy was busy slaughtering those men, a larger contingent ambushed them, and the enemy was defeated. But by then, only one of the men had survived. I believe you had met him. His name was Mu Zhanshi."

Mu Zhanshi. Yes, Shifu knew him alright.

"My point is, when we were interrogating him earlier he made it sound as if he actually cared about the soldiers. I don't buy a word of it."

"Do you believe what he said about the creature."

"Oh, he was telling the truth about that." Xian grunted. "Besides, once it became clear he was lying to us, he had no choice. But I have my doubts as to whether the safety of his men is one of his higher priorities. Or the safety of us, for that matter."

"Emperor Xian, he has nothing to gain from betraying us." Shifu said. "You know this."

"I do, I do!" Xian snapped in a moment of frustration. "I'm sorry, Master, I just don't know who to trust anymore… This place… is cursed. I can feel it."

"Xian…" Shifu was again taken aback, this time by himself. He hadn't addressed Xian like this for decades. "It's going to be alright. If it's any consolation, you can certainly trust me and my students. And Di Tan."

"What about Su?" Xian cracked a smile for the first time.

"Yes, you can certainly trust her. And if it helps, we will keep an eye on Tujiu. See if he is indeed not to be trusted."

"Thank you, Master Shifu."

"It's our duty to serve you. Now why don't you get some sleep? It has been a long day."

* * *

The next morning, there had been momentary panic in the guestrooms when everyone woke up and discovered that Su was not in her bed. At least until Mantis found a note on the bed explaining that she had gone to the kitchen to help Di Tan with breakfast. Shifu had also left with Emperor Xian to ask Tujiu about the strange happenings in the fortress.

"Oh thank goodness!" Viper gasped in relief after Mantis had read the note out loud. Out of everyone in the Jade Palace, she was the most fond of the young girl. No surprise there. "It's a good thing she had the sense to let us know where she was!"

"Man, I'm hungry." Po rubbed his large white belly. "What do you say we try out Su's cooking before we head down to the army camp?"

"Po, we have orders from Shifu." Tigress replied firmly, though she herself thought she could do with a plate of tofu. Or noodles.

"Come on, Tigress? What harm can a few minutes do?" Mantis asked. "Let's get some breakfast before we go, I'm starving!"

Tigress was about to protest when she heard Monkey's stomach rumble. She sighed.

"Alright, fine. We'll have five minutes. Whether we finish or not, we're gone."

That was what she said, but when they all travelled down to the kitchen and had a taste of Di Tan's famous noodles, every single one of them asked for seconds before they had even finished their first.

"Hey, where's Su?" Po asked as he lowered his spoon into the soup. "I thought she was with you?"

"Oh, she's just gone to take some soup to Master Eagle Jr. She's such a lovely young girl. You're lucky to have her in your palace."

"Yeah, we've started playing a lot more games since she came." Po grinned. "Did you know that during our first game of hide and seek, she did what none of us had ever achieved before and found Mantis in thirty seconds?"

"I never knew." Di Tan chuckled as Mantis scowled. "How did she do it?"

"Well, after the game she explained that she simply used what we call 'logic'." Po said. "You see, if Mantis didn't expect to be found for a long time, then he would be somewhere where he would be relatively comfortable. Also, the game was being playing during lunch time, so he would be somewhere where there was food. Finally, since he was a good jumper and hiders are often caught out by the tiny sounds they make, he would be somewhere where it would be difficult for the seeker to hear him."

"So where did she find him?"

"She found me in Monkey's almond cookie jar." Mantis grumbled.

Di Tan burst out laughing, but then suddenly stopped. "She figured all that out by herself?"

"How did we not know that kid was a genius?" Tigress muttered. "Po, you've dropped a bean bun on the floor."

"Oh, sorry." Po reached down and picked it up. He opened his mouth to consume it, but then spotted Tigress still looking at him. He quickly shut his mouth and set the bun down on a napkin.

"You're not going to eat it?" Tigress asked in surprise.

"Five second rule, remember?" Po said simply, and spent the rest of breakfast eating with his mouth closed. He waited until his mouth was no longer full before speaking again. "Hey, shouldn't Su be back by now?"

"You're right." Tigress looked up from her near-empty bowl. "Do you think one of us should look for her?"

"No need, here she comes." Di Tan had just spotted the young panda entering the room. "Hey, Su!" Po waved cheerfully as she approached the table. "Here, have my fourth helping, I haven't started on it yet!"

"Thank you." Su said quietly as she took her seat.

"How's the knee?" Viper asked.

"It's okay."

"What took you so long?" Tigress asked. "We were starting to get worried." When Su didn't answer, she frowned. "Su, are you okay?"

"Oh, it's nothing!" Su said quickly, her mood changing from dark to bright in milliseconds, and grabbed her spoon to start eating.

Silently agreeing that they would never understand children, Po and the others went back to finishing their bowls.

Po satisfyingly patted his stomach.

"So, shall we head down to the army camp?"

"Oh can I come with you?" Su cried excitedly. "I've never been to an army camp before!"

The others were a little taken aback by her sudden eagerness, but Po replied; "Sure, why not? Remember to wrap up warm, it's cold out!"

"Po, hang on a sec!" Crane said. "Have you forgotten what happened yesterday?"

"Crane, she'll be fine." Po said, suppressing a little shiver as he remembered how close he had come to getting his head crushed like a grape. "As long as she stays with us and inside the camp, what harm can come to her?"

Crane grumbled.

"He's been moody since he lost his hat." Mantis whispered in Monkey's eyes, and both of them chuckled to themselves.

* * *

Once Viper had slithered in the protective coat Princess Haoxin had made for her and procured a warm coat for Su, the warriors made their way down the gentle slope that led down from the fortress to the army camp. The army camp consisted of a half mile of tents with a capacity of three hundred and sixty six soldiers, ten medics and two cooks. At the far west side of the camp was a large wooden building that had been built on the same week as the army's arrival, where weapons and other supplies were stored.

Po grimaced as he saw the full size of the camp. Interrogating the soldiers would take all day.

He was right. By sunset they were down to the last five men. The three hundred and sixty three soldiers, nine medics and one cook they had already asked had not experienced any supernatural activity during their stay in the Himalayas.

As Viper and Crane questioned the remaining men, Tigress suddenly felt Su gripping her pants leg tightly.

"Su?" Tigress looked down and saw Su's frightened expression.

"He's still there."

"Who?" Tigress knelt down so she was more Su's level.

"Mr. Sao."

Tigress looked up sharply. She saw a familiar fox standing by a tent. He spotted her looking at him and walked away.

"Su, is he the reason why you took so long coming back?" Tigress whispered furiously. Su nodded.

"He was following me all the way to Mr. Eagle's room." She said. "On my way back, he stopped me and asked me how I was doing. I said I was fine, and then he started asking me some questions."

"What sort of questions?" Po demanded. He had been listening in.

"He was asking me about what I saw when I fell through that secret passage, and about what I was reading in the library, and what parts of the fortress I saw." Su said. "I didn't think anything of it, but then he started asking me about my family, and how life at the palace was like. He even asked me where my parents live. In the end I started getting uncomfortable and left. He's been following some more ever since."

"Su, wait here with the others." Tigress stood up and along with Po strode through the camp. On both sides soldiers were wandering about, gripping their weapons tightly, obviously tense. And what with dozens of soldiers dead, who wouldn't be.

They caught Sao at the edge of the camp debriefing a pair of patrolmen.

"Masters Po and Tigress." Sao exclaimed pleasantly after dismissing the two men. "What a lovely-"

"Cut the crap, why are you following Su?" Tigress growled.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Su told us about your little interrogation this morning, so I think you do." Po said angrily.

"General Tujiu put you up to this, didn't he?" Tigress said. "What does he want with Su?"

"I don't know." Sao snapped, giving up all pretense. "He just asked me to find out what the girl had found out during her stay here!"

"Well cut it out!" Po snapped back. "You're scaring her!"

"Well I had no intention of scaring her. And if you want to know what the general wants with the girl, then you'll have to take it up with-"

_BOOM!_


	35. Boom

A massive explosion from behind sent Po, Tigress and Colonel Sao flying. The unexpected blast of heat and sound sent them ten feet before sliding to a stop in the snow. The wind was knocked out of them and their ears were ringing. Flaming debris rained down from all sides, the smaller pieces sinking into the snow and disappearing from view.

Tigress was the first to move. Getting to her feet was difficult. She was off balance, and she had hit her head hard on the ground beneath the snow when she fell. Even so, she succeeded in standing up, and turned her attention to Po. When she saw a piece of burning wood on the rear of his pants she kicked it off quickly.

"Po?" She could barely hear her own voice over the ringing. Po made a sound she couldn't hear but knew was a moan before getting up on his hands and knees. "Po? Are you okay?"

Po didn't answer. He wasn't looking at her face, so Tigress knelt back down and lifted his head so his eyes met hers. She repeated her question. Though Po's hearing must have been as badly affected as hers was, he seemed to understand, and nodded in response.

"What happened?" Were the words his lips formed. In her dazed state, it took a few seconds for Tigress to notice that he was looking her up and down, as if looking for any injuries. Nearby, Colonel Sao was shakily getting up.

"I think it was an explosion." Tigress replied, and turned her head in the direction the blast had come from.

The massive storage house was ablaze. Fire lashed at the air through the small windows and smoke rose up into the twilight sky. One upper corner of the building was gone completely, blown outwards by the explosion. Soldiers were rushing to the scene, just as shocked as Po and Tigress were. The ringing in their ears started to subside, and panicked shouts could be heard.

"Good lord!" They heard Sao exclaim, and ignored him.

Tigress pulled Po to his feet and together they staggered over to the burning building, at the same time General Tujiu swooped into view.

"What the hell happened?!" He shouted. Po and Tigress realized he was talking to Sao.

"I don't know!" Sao yelled back, unable to speak normally due to his damaged ears. "The building just exploded!"

"Master Shifu and the emperor are on their way! Find out what happened and fast!" Tujiu shouted and landed on the ground in front of Po and Tigress. "You two! Where are your comrades?"

"I don't know!" Po replied. "They should be here by- hey, there's Crane and Viper!" Po and Tigress rushed over to the two warriors, who were standing right by the collapsed entrance doors of the building.

"Crane! Viper!" Tigress yelled, getting their attention. "What happened?"

"I don't know!" Crane replied. "We were clear on the other side of the camp when it happened!"

"Where are the others?"

"That's why we're trying to get in!" They had to keep shouting over the roar of the blaze. "They went in here to investigate the place because one of the soldiers suspected a break in, and before we knew it the building exploded."

"Oh man, you don't think they're still in there do you?!" Po was horrified.

"If they are, we have to get in and help them!" Viper looked to be on the verge of panic. "I mean, Su's with them!"

It was this bit of information that made Tigress fling herself as the flaming doors with a flying kick. The blockage was completely destroyed.

"Stop! You'll get yourselves killed!" Tujiu shouted.

"Our friends and a little girl are trapped in there!" Po yelled back. "We're going in!"

"Dragon Warrior, there may still be powder kegs that have yet to explode!"

Powder kegs?

"Come on!" Tigress grabbed Po by the arm and dragged him inside before he could think about what Tujiu had said. "Crane, stay outside in case they manage to get out!"

* * *

"Master Mantis! Master Mantis, wake up!"

Mantis heard Su's voice calling him from a thousand miles away. Every part of his body hurt, including his thingies, and it took a lot of effort for him to regain consciousness. When he did, he thought for a moment he had died and gone to hell. Where else would you find every inch of your surroundings consumed in flame? But then he saw Su leaning over him, her adorable features stained with soot, and he realized that he was still alive. That and there was some sort of pressure on the lower half of his body.

"Master Mantis, are you okay?" Su asked in terror.

"F-fine." Mantis replied. Su gave a relieved look before picking up a piece of timber and flinging aside. That was what the pressure had been. Mantis checked to make sure his legs weren't injured before standing up. "Su, you're not hurt, are you?"

"No, I'm fine." Su replied. "Master Monkey pushed me behind a crate that protected me from most of the blast!"

The blast. Mantis remembered now.

They had just finished interrogating the fourth to last soldier when another walked up to them and informed them that there may have been a break in at the storage building. Mantis and Monkey had agreed to go and check it out while Crane and Viper remained to finish off the interrogations. Su had gone with them because she needed to pee, and the side of the big building was the best place for someone to relieve themselves discreetly. Once she was done, she had gone inside with them because their was no way they would allow a vulnerable young girl to travel through a big army camp all by herself.

Once inside, they found the evidence of the break in; a side door with the padlock literally torn off. They had been about to head deeper into the building when they heard the sound of a rope snapping from above. They had looked up just in time to see a lantern fall and crash onto a pile of barrels. It had taken a second for them to recognize them for what they were before Monkey grabbed Su and they ran for the front doors. They had only gotten half way before all hell broke loose.

Mantis and Su heard a crash from above and they had to leap out to way to avoid the falling beam.

"Monkey!" Mantis breathed. He didn't know how long he would be able to do this before the smoke reached them. He had to find Monkey and get Su out of here fast. "Where's Monkey?"

"I don't know!" Su cried, and for the first time Mantis noticed how terrified she was. The heat was nearly unbearable, but Mantis kept a cool expression for her sake. "When those barrels blew up he was thrown behind those crates!"

Mantis looked in the direction Su was pointing, and grimaced. The pile of crates was ablaze, as was the other barrels and crates surrounding it. Unless Monkey was dead, and Mantis cursed himself for thinking that, then he was stuck on the other side. And the only way to reach the other side was to go around the whole mess of wood and fire. Mantis glanced at Su. And then he glanced up at the ceiling, where a think blanket of smoke was beginning to descend. They didn't have much time before it would reach them, and Su was a hell of a lot smaller than Po. It wouldn't take much smoke to do her in.

That settled it. Getting Su out was officially first priority.

"Okay, Su! Let's find a way outta here!"

"But what-" Su started to cough. "W-what about Monkey?"

"He'll be fine! We went through a heck of a lot worse in Gongmen City!" Mantis grabbed Su's paw and dragged down the only visible route through the fire and smoke. He hoped dearly that this route would lead them to the front doors, where he could kick them down and then Su would be safe. Once she was safe, he would head right back in for his friend.

The heat was getting worse, but it was the smoke Mantis was more worried about. Each time he looked up, the smoke was getting closer and closer to their heads. The fire was making it almost impossible to figure out where they were going. Just as he was beginning to think that they were screwed, Mantis heard someone shouting over the flames.

"Guys!"

"Po!" Mantis hollered. "Where are ya?"

"Mantis! Are you okay?!" Mantis heard Viper practically screaming. "Is Su with you?!"

"She's here! Hurry up and find us!"

"Okay, stay where you are!" Tigress could be heard now.

"M-Master Mantis," Su coughed. "My chest h-hurts."

"Guys, hurry!" Mantis yelled.

_Su, hang in there. Monkey, where are you?_

* * *

Ignoring the heat and the smoke to the best of his abilities, Monkey glowered down at the melted candle that sat on one of the support beams that had not yet caught fire. The same beam that the lantern had fallen from. He fingered the robe that had been tied to the one of the smaller beams that held up the roof. It was all coming together.

He was looking at what had once been a simple but very effective timing device, and judging from the height of the beam and the difficulty in getting to it, plus the massive and destroyed padlock, there could only have been one culprit.

After breaking into the storage building and gathering what it needed, it had loosely wrapped the rope holding the lantern around the large beam, and then kept it from falling by looping it around a candle and then securing it to the smaller beam. After a certain amount of time, the candle's flame had reached and burned the string, causing it to snap. The released lantern then fell right onto the powder kegs and triggered the massive explosion.

Since the whole setup had been timed, that meant that the monster hadn't wanted to be around when the building blew up… which meant that it could be anywhere in the mountains by now. Monkey slammed his fist on the beam in frustration. Revenge would have to wait for just a little longer.

He heard shouts down below and spotted Mantis and Su stranded in the middle of the inferno, with Po, Tigress and Viper desperately trying to find a way to breach the large pile of fiery barrels. Monkey leapt down and landed right by Su and Mantis, startling the pair of them.

"Where the-" Mantis paused as he remembered that Su was right beside him. "Where the  _heck_  have you been?!"

"I'll explain later!" Monkey replied before turning to Su, who was coughing the worst out of all of them. "Here, pull your coat up over your nose." He helped her pull up the top of her coat up until it was covering half her face.

"Thank you." Came Su's muffled voice. "What are we gonna do?"

Before Monkey could answer they were all surprised by a loud crash coming from the pile of crates that blocked their path to the exit.

"Guys, what are you doing?" Monkey yelled.

"Get back, we're trying to break through these barrels!" Po yelled back.

 _Crash!_  Several of the barrels shifted.

* * *

"Crane!"

Crane whirled round to see Shifu and Xian rushing toward him, their bodies glowing red in the light of the burning building.

"Master Crane, what happened here?" Xian demanded.

"I don't know! Monkey, Mantis and Su were in there when the explosion happened!" Crane replied. "Tigress and the others are trying to find them!"

Shifu cursed, and then frowned.

"Wait, the crimson color of the flames… I've seen this before…" Shifu turned to General Tujiu. "General, did you have gunpowder in there?"

The general hesitated, and then nodded.

"May I ask why you had gunpowder in there?"

Crane and Shifu glared at Tujiu, waiting for an answer.

It was Xian who gave their answer.

"The army is considering adding the late Lord Shen's cannon to their arsenal."

"What?!" Shifu rounded on the emperor.

"Hey don't look at me like that, I'm against it too!" Xian snapped as Crane looked on in astonishment. "But most of the imperial council likes the idea, so until the cannon proves to cause more problems than it solves then I have to give it a chance!"

"Your highness, that cannon killed Master Thundering Rhino and would have laid waste to China had the Dragon Warrior not stopped it!" Shifu shot a nasty look at Tujiu. "And I seriously doubt that the Sacred Onyx Council and the Masters Council will support the idea."

"I am well aware of that!" Xian scowled and kneeled down to Shifu's level. "But I only received these news recently and I can't speak with them until I return to China! So until whatever is killing these soldiers is dead, complaining about it will not help!"

"Uh, I'd hate to interrupt, but our comrades are still stuck inside a burning building!" Crane exclaimed.

Shifu's heart sank at the reminder.

_Su! My students!_

He had almost reached the burning entrance when part of the roof came crashing down.


	36. Face to Face

With partial amusement and partial satisfaction, it watched the large building burn from behind the large snow covered rock fifty yards away. It had chosen its location very carefully; the rock it was hiding behind was on the side of the building directly opposite to the army camp, where everyone else would definitely be gathered. It wasn't staying to admire its own handiwork, though the timed lantern had been a clever idea, but to ensure that all the gunpowder inside had been destroyed.

The day before, after the battle with the kung fu masters in front of the blocked tunnel entrance, it had returned to its lair to heal the neck wound the eagle had inflicted on it. While it had been sitting in its lair, waiting patiently for the healing potion to take effect, it had thought of the army camp situated by the fortress, of the supply building, and had just been putting down the idea of risking a sabotage attempt when it had remembered the powder kegs. It had occurred to it that the enemy may realize that the explosive barrels could be used to destroy the blockage and allow reinforcements to arrive and complicate its mission. That was the one thing that could not happen. And so that night, a plan was made.

And now here it was, waiting for the building to completely burn to the ground. Once the bonfire show was over, and the soldiers started to salvage what they could, it would know it its plan had worked.

It highly doubted that all of the kegs had exploded, otherwise the building wouldn't even be a charred, smoking skeleton in the middle of the frozen wasteland. It wouldn't be long though, and then the warriors who had entered the building just now would be blown sky high…

The warriors! What if they tried to retrieve the remaining powder kegs while they were inside? Then they would be able to destroy the landslide and all its careful planning would be for nothing. And the only way to prevent that would be to go straight back into the hellfire.

Furious with itself, it leaped over the rock and started running.

* * *

Those inside the burning storage building heard the tremendous noise above them just in time.

"MOVE!" Tigress hollered.

Po managed to get one arm around Su before Tigress shoved them clear across the unburned part of the building. Su screamed as she heard three tons of burning wood crash down behind them, and then Po hit the floor. Unfortunately he hit the floor in such a way that Su was flung from his arm and she skidded across the floor and beneath a burning beam that had been caught on a crate when it fell.

"Su!" She heard Po yell above the flames, and then the crate holding up the beam collapsed, and her path back to the grown ups was blocked. "Su, are you okay?"

"I'm okay!" Su cried as loud as possible, though the smoke threatening to suffocate her was making it difficult. "But I can't get back!"

"Darn! Su, is there another way out?"

Su looked around. All she could see was fire.

"No!"

Po cursed again, this time using a profanity that Su had heard before only once; a few months ago when Mantis failed at the gauntlet of wooden warriors for the first time in years. His use of the word in front of a child had earned him a nasty slap from Viper and a furious lecture from Master Shifu.

"Su, everything's going to be fine! Try and keep out of the smoke for as long as possible and stay away from the flames! I'll find my way to you!" Po said nothing more after that.

_Why is it that every time disaster strikes, it's always the little kid who needs rescuing?_  Su thought in annoyance, and coughed. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. She coughed again and looked up.

The ceiling was completely obscured in a blanket of opaque toxic smoke that was getting lower by the second. She guessed that it would take less than a minute for the smoke to reach her, and then she wouldn't be able to breathe at all.

"Master Po, h-hurry!" She cried. Po didn't answer. Her little heart thudding with terror, Su hugged herself and began to whimper. She kneeled down so her head was a little further away from the rapidly descending smoke.

"Please hurry…"

Her chest was burning from the smoke she was inhaling, and every time she breathed, a fit of coughing followed. She wasn't sure she could last much longer. Her nose and throat were hurting too.

"P-Po!"

She suddenly felt the urge to throw up.

It was now agony to breathe. The thick layer of black smoke was mere feet above her head. It was unbearably hot. She leaned forward toward the floor, about to follow through with her tummy's wish to empty itself, when she saw the large shadow on the floor. Coming from something behind her.

Su felt unimaginably relieved. Po had found a way through to her, but the pain kept her from smiling. However, when she got a better look at the shadow, she realized that it was big. Too big. Far too big to be Po.

Starting to feel dizzy from the smoke, Su turned around.

* * *

"Come on, where is it?!" Po spoke furiously as he threw burning wooden spears to the side in his search for the weapon that would enable him to break through the debris and reach Su. On the blockage on the other side of him, he could hear his friends shouting for him, trying to find their own way around the wreckage. Po kept shouting back, telling them that he was okay and he was trying to get to Su.

He had just found what he was looking for, a spiked mace the size of his head, when he heard a high pitched scream.

It wasn't a scream of fright. It wasn't a scream of pain. It was terror. A prolonged scream of pure primal terror that only a little girl could muster.

Po spun around with mace in hand, towards the pile of debris blocking his way to Su. And then he saw it. A tall and horrifyingly familiar silhouette just visible over the wreckage. It was walking in one direction, head ducked down, as if approaching something tiny and vulnerable.

Su.

"SU!"

Po raced towards the debris pile and started swinging.

SMASH!

SMASH!

It was hard work. His palms were sweaty and the smoke was suffocating.

SMASH! SMASH! SMASH!

Bit by bit, the debris pile came crashing down. Without thinking, Po shoved away the remaining debris with his bare paws and dashed through.

The new area was aflame and full of deadly smoke. With no sign of the monster. Or Su. She was gone.

"No!" Po flung the mace to the floor, where it crashed through the weakened wood. He was too late. "NOOOO!"

"Po!" He heard Tigress yell. "What's happening?"

He ignored her. He was a fool. A stupid fat fool. And now Su was gone. And it was too late to save her.

Wait, not too late.

If there was one thing kung fu had taught him, it was to never give up. The monster had to have taken Su out of the building, which meant it knew a way out of the fiery inferno. But on every side of him there was nothing but fire and smoke.

"Come on, Po, think!" Po's muttering was nearly inaudible. He tried to think of what the monster could do to get out that he and his comrades couldn't. It was stronger than any opponent Po had met so far, but it definitely hadn't smashed its way out through a wall, otherwise, Po would have seen it. It was also an astonishing jumper…  _that's it!_

Po looked up towards the large hole in the ceiling where part of the roof had caved in. Large enough for someone or something to leap through.

If Po had any hope of catching up with Su's kidnapper, he would have to climb up there himself. And pray that Su was still alive by the time he did.

"No, she's alive. She has to be!" Po snarled to himself and he searched for a place to start climbing.

He spotted a partially fallen beam that was not completely consumed in fire. It would make a pretty good ramp. Without hesitation, Po leapt on. Flames licked at his heels as he raced up the beam, grabbed a horizontal beam and swung himself up on top of it, just as Tigress had helped him to perfect during training. He was now two beams away from the hole. He had to be quick about this. Su's life depended on it. He heard a shout from below as his comrades spotted him.

"Po, what the hell are you doing?" Viper shouted.

"Su's in trouble!" Po yelled without looking down. He braced himself to jump.

"Of course she is! What are you doing up there?"

"It's taken her!"

"What?"

"The thing that's killing the soldiers! It's taken Su!"

"WHAT?!"

"I'm going after them! Get out of the building and see if you can pursue them from there!"

Po took a deep breath and jumped. He barely made it to the next beam, and had to grasp a nearby vertical beam to regain his balance. He quickly glanced downwards to see that his friends were quickly making their way back to the exit, frantic to get out and find Su's trail.

The beam right next to the hole was farther away, one end on fire, looking ready to collapse at any moment.

"Okay, you can do this…" Po whispered. "She's alive… There's still time…"

He jumped.

He reached the beam.

There was a crack as the beam separated from the rest of the support.

"CRAP!"

The second the beam started to fall, his toes left the burning wood. Po flew through the smoke filled, searing hot air. His fingers barely caught the splintered edge of the hole.

"Donbreakdondreakdondreakdonbreak…" Po quickly pulled himself up and rolled away from the edge.

He was now on the roof. The air was slightly clearer here, making it both easier to see and breathe. He ran to the edge of the roof and looked down at the ground below. He saw a set of large footprints leading from the building to a large rock some distance away. Whether their direction was from the building to the rock, or the other way round, it was too far away too tell.

Po guessed that the building was about twenty-five feet. Should he risk jumping? Yes, he had to. Su's life depended on it.

"One… two… three!"

Po jumped.

He landed badly, falling forward on his face when his legs hit the ground. He lay there for a moment. Once he was sure that nothing was broken or sprained, he scrambled to his feet.

He looked down at the tracks. They were heading in the direction of the building he had just escaped.

Po turned round to see exactly where the tracks ended.

Instead of a wall of fire, he was instead faced with a wall of dark fur rippled with muscle.

"Son of a-"

WHAM!

A massive impact struck Po square in the chest and then he was flying, flying straight as an arrow shot from a crossbow. The blow brought back memories of a huge cannon, striking Po square in the belly through the wok he held out in front of him, propelling him through a wooden wall.

But this time, instead of a wooden wall Po struck a rock fifteen feet from the building, spider web cracks forming all around him. Instead of crashing through it he slid to the snow covered ground, fighting to stay conscious.

It felt as though the creature had actually punched a hole right through his chest. Po thought for sure his ribs were broken, but when he lifted a shaking paw to the spot where it had struck him, he felt only a bruise beginning to form.

Getting up was nearly impossible. After a struggle, Po gave up on trying to get to his feet and instead slumped back to the ground, his back resting against the rock.

When his vision finally righted itself, he looked up.

There it was, standing right above him like a demon from a nightmare, which it probably was, nearly black against the red fire than framed its body.

Po was so much pain, he couldn't do anything, not even swing a pathetic punch or call for his friends, as it leaned down towards him.

Fingers the thickness of Su's arm closed around his throat.

At first Po was still too stunned to react when it lifted his entirely body several feet into the air, but when it began to squeeze, closing off his windpipe and cutting off his air, his paws shot up to its hand, his dangling legs started thrashing.

As he frantically pulled at its throttling fingers, his legs kicked, searching for a part of its body to strike. But its arm was too long, its torso too far away to make contact. He tried swinging his entire body upward to kick its wrist, but he wasn't flexible enough. Choked gasps escaped him as he continued to fight. He tried to call for his comrades, but lack of air and a constricted trachea wouldn't let him.

His lungs screamed for air. His heart thudded like a drum. The pressure on his throat was terrible. It was unlike anything he had ever experience before. Not even a sparring session with Shifu could compare. Po struggled with all the strength he could muster, twisted his body to try and escape its grasp, even as black spots started to cloud his view of its face. Not that he could see it anyway. The firelight was too bright, its face too dark.

Soon, too soon, he felt his body weakening. His legs slowed in their kicking, felt as if they were full of lead. His fingers continued to pry at its. But it was no use. He was going to die. He was dying.

He thought of Su, who only moments ago he had trying his hardest to find. She wasn't here. He couldn't see her. Had it killed her like it was killing him right now? The thought gave him rage, which in turn gave him a little extra energy to fight.

It took a few seconds for him to realize that the monster was speaking. Its voice shocked him, even in his dying state. He had always thought that if the creature had a voice, it would be gruff, angry and full of violence, just like the warrior king Temutai or the gorilla bandits he fought on a monthly basis. However, if Po had to describe the voice emanating from the creature strangling him, his best description would be Tai Lung in a deep voice with a Nepalese accent. Cold, calm, and probably charismatic if the monster was that kind of villain.

"I tried to warn you off." It spoke. "If you must have someone to blame for your demise aside from myself, blame the general. He ignored me when I sent him a very clear message to leave this place or die, just like you ignored the message I sent when I threw those boulders at you and your comrades."

Po feebly picked at its fingers, barely understanding its words. Darkness was now steadily creeping in around the edges of his vision.

"In case something happens in the next few moments that saves your life, you should probably know that those soldiers you found in the snowdrift were all the soldiers who knew the existence of the tomb. Hopefully that answers the tiger's questions."

Po used what little strength he had left to slam his fist down on the monster's wrist in anger. How dare it talk about Tigress!

There was no effect whatsoever. Po's fingers slipped, now completely out of energy.

"You are going to be dead in a matter of seconds, so I will cut right to the point. Your death will be my last warning. Perhaps the death of a kung fu master will finally make them understand that to stay here would be suicide. They can still escape the mountains by travelling over them. I only blocked the tunnel entrance to keep out reinforcements."

_If you're willing to let us leave, then why did you blow up most of the army's supplies?_  Po thought.

"About the explosion just now…" It went on as if it had read Po's mind. "That was partly to ensure that you could now just blow up to blockage, but there is another reason… if this whole ordeal does end in a battle to the death, I cannot allow you to have explosives at your disposal. I remember the carnage they caused… but are the nightmares mine… or hers…" It trailed off, now deep in thought. Then it looked back up. "Never mind…"

It squeezed tighter, managing to get a tiny choke out of the dying panda, who closed his eyes as he waited for death to hurry up and claim him…

_No._

The monster's grip loosened slightly, but not enough for Po to breathe. Po's eyes fluttered open at the sound of the whisper.

The monster's head was turned to the burning building. While it had been slowly choking Po, part of the outer wall had collapsed, and was now burning strongly behind them… and among the flames was a figure… a slender black body with the head of a dragon…

_No._

_Not yet._

The voice whispered.

The monster slowly turned its head back to Po, looking him over. Po looked back for a few seconds before his eyes slowly closed again.

With his eyes shut, Po saw nothing, but he could still feel, meaning that he wasn't quite dead yet. He felt the pain of the monster's hand still choking the life out of him… and then suddenly the hand was gone. Po fell and hit the ground hard.

It took a second for him to realize that he could breathe, and he gasped. He coughed and wheezed, his body refilling with energy. A paw was raised to massage his horribly sore throat as he continued to gasp and cough, so grateful to be alive that he didn't care that the monster and the figure in the flames were gone.

Po turned on his side to make breathing easier, and the snow that met his cheek was wonderfully cool compared to the fire that had almost consumed him a few minutes ago.

He didn't open his eyes until he heard Tigress shouting his name.

"Po? Po!"

He struggled to sit up as Tigress ran towards him.

"Tigress." He said hoarsely, glad that she had made it outside as she kneeled down beside him.

"Po, are you okay?"

"Yeah…" Po coughed. "At least I think so… oh god. You're bleeding…"

His moved from his throat to the small tear on Tigress's shoulder oozing blood. He stroked the fur surrounding the wound, careful not to touch it and cause her further pain. Tigress eased his paw to his side.

"I'm fine. A piece of the ceiling grazed me when the roof collapsed." Tigress's eyes widened suddenly as she gazed at him. "Forget my shoulder, what happened to your neck?!"

"Hang on, where are the others?" Po grabbed her uninjured shoulder. "Where's Su?"

"Po, everyone made it out." Tigress said. "And Su's safe."

Po's eyes widened.

"Su's safe?!"

"Yes. Shifu and Emperor Xian told us when we got outside the building. Su told them she was attacked by the creature but managed to escape the building on her own. The medic is currently treating her for possible complications from smoke inhalation."

"Oh thank god…" Po gasped. He collapsed backward into the snow.

"Po, what happened to you? Where's the creature?"

_The creature._

"I'll tell you once everyone's back in the fortress." Po said. "You're all going to want to hear this…"


	37. Lies

It had taken the combined efforts of the Jade Palace masters and the Imperial soldiers to extinguish the flames consuming the storage building, and even then the process had taken nearly three hours. The moon was high in the sky by the time the tiniest flicker of flame was doused, and by then, the building was a blackened ruin. Once Mantis had bravely volunteered to enter the building and confirm that all the powder kegs had been destroyed, the soldiers set to work salvaging what they could. All the wooden weapons and supplies had been reduced to cinders, and only a fraction of the metal weaponry could be saved. Normally this would have been a disaster, but the massive storage area inside the fortress's left hand tower still had a lifetime supply, but no powder kegs, and more weapons could easily be made in the still functional foundry in the right hand tower. On General Tujiu's orders, soldiers were already prepping the foundry for mass production.

The medics, meanwhile, were having a busy time tending to the soldiers who had been too close to the building when it had exploded, and the Jade Palace masters who had actually been inside the building at that fateful moment. According to the medic treating Monkey and Mantis, they had been extremely lucky to be alive; due to adrenaline, Monkey hadn't noticed the small piece of shrapnel in his shoulder that had barely missed his vital artery, and the only reason Mantis's legs hadn't been badly burned by the debris that had fallen on him was because Su had taken off her winter coat and smothered the burning piece of wood while he had been unconscious. When he learned this, Mantis reminded himself to thank Su once the second medic was done treating her.

As for Su, other than irritated red eyes from the smoke and soot marks on her fur, she was unharmed, much to Viper's absolute relief. The snake had not left her side the entire time. She and Crane had escaped from the ordeal unscathed, save for some singed feathers on Crane's part, though the same could not be said for Tigress and Po. Like Monkey, Tigress was lucky her shoulder injury hadn't been worse, and Po had severe bruising on his chest, back and throat. The other medics had their hands full with the injured soldiers, so Shifu volunteered to clean and wrap Tigress's shoulder himself while Po sat on a small chair and double-checked that his ribs weren't severely damaged. As he stopped checking a grabbed a full jug of water, Po noticed how Shifu kept asking Tigress if she was feeling any pain in her chest, or having trouble breathing. No matter how many times Tigress had tried to reassure him, Shifu's fears had only been eased when one of the medics returned and checked her himself.

It wasn't until midnight that the masters, General Tujiu and Emperor Xian decided to return to the fortress of White Fortitude. As the medic had advised them not to let Su overexert herself, Tigress carried her in her powerful arms. While they journeyed back to the fortress, Su told the others what had happened inside the burning building after she had been separated from the others. The creature had indeed approached her, but Su had been able to slip beneath a falling burning beam and avoid him. In the process, she had reached the outer wall and discovered a portion of the wood was burned and severely weakened. With a few kicks, she had managed to break it down and escape.

"That's our cute, brave girl." Viper said with a relieved smile.

"Courage is one of the most important traits a warrior must have." Shifu said in praise. "You did very well acting on your own."

"Thank you." Su replied shyly. "Master Tigress, are you sure it's okay carrying me with your shoulder?"

"It's just a scratch, I'll be fine." Tigress replied gently, inwardly thinking how Su no longer called her 'missus Tigress'. "Besides, we're almost there."

Sure enough they reached the fortress. While Tigress took Su back to her room, Shifu and Xian ventured to Eagle Jr.'s room after they heard him demanded to be let out of his bed in order to go find out what that the explosion he had heard come from. Crane, Po, Monkey and Mantis returned to their own guestrooms to wash the soot off of themselves while Tujiu and Colonel Sao returned to the study to document the explosive event that had just occurred.

After half an hour, everyone except Su and Di Tan were gathered in Tujiu's private mess hall. The gathering started with Monkey telling them about the creature's clever timing device. Then Po told them about his encounter with the creature, though when he finished, Shifu sensed that there had been something he had left out.

"Okay, here's what we know so far…" Tigress said after a minor argument between Shifu and Tujiu over whether or not to attempt to pursue the creature. "This creature is eight or nine feet tall. Probably weighs five hundred or so pounds, but is very stealthy. It prefers hand to hand combat, but is smart enough to set up effective traps and is strong enough to fling heavy objects from a distance. It has very thick skin, meaning that it will be difficult to inflict significant damage without edged weaponry, so normal punches and kicks are out of the question. Because of its naturally thick hide, it doesn't wear much in terms of armor. It's also an astonishing jumper."

"And unless it has a super powerful potion hidden somewhere, it's also a pretty fast healer." Po added. "When I saw it up close, the neck wound Eagle Jr. made was gone."

"Right, so it also appears to have a supernaturally fast healing factor." Tigress said. "That indicates that this is no ordinary animal like us. Probably a demon."

"So basically it's a super smart, super strong monster who is resistant to kung fu." Crane said. "So far I'm not liking our options."

"Stop that." Shifu said abruptly. "There is too much at stake to be thinking cynically."

"I'm not being cynical" Crane said quickly. "But unless we find out what this thing is, and where exactly it's hiding, then the chances are we're all going to die."

"Oh! That reminds me!" Mantis pulled out what appeared to be a small piece of dark red paper that was burned around the edges. "I managed to get a good look at the lantern that started the fire before everything went to hell. It was a red paper lantern shaped line a cone."

"Go on." Shifu asked as Po and Viper leaned over to inspect the paper.

"So when I went back in to check that all the kegs had blown up, I found a little piece of it that wasn't completely burned up." Mantis said.

"How is this significant?" Viper asked.

"Look at the texture and pattern on the paper." Mantis let Po take the paper. "It doesn't look Chinese to me."

"You're right!" Po suddenly exclaimed. "This is Lotka paper!"

"Lotsa paper?" Crane frowned.

"Lotka paper. It's a paper indigenous to Nepal. My dad had some imported for the winter festival when I was thirteen." Po said.

"Strange." Sao said. "We didn't have any Lotka paper lanterns in the storage building, and there are none like that in the fortress."

"There's only one other place this lantern could have come from." Mantis said. "The creature's lair."

Eyebrows raised, Tigress politely took the paper from Po and inspected it herself.

"Judging from the quality of the paper, this lantern must have been hundreds of years old." She muttered. "Wait, there's white dust on it. It doesn't look like it came from the storage building."

"Yeah, I saw that too." Po said. "It's just like the secret ingredient I put on my super sticky dumplings."

"You mean the stuff we patch walls with?" Mantis chortled.

"Shut up." Po shot him a look.

"Patch walls…" Tigress turned to face Tujiu. "General, are there any other ruins or buildings in the surrounding area?"

"No." Tujiu shook his head. "The only architecture in these mountains is this very fortress."

"Maybe it's underground!" Po said. "You know, maybe an underground tomb like that one in the Shidao mountains!"

"That's actually plausible…" Xian rubbed his chin. "But unless we know the lair's exact whereabouts, this information is next to useless."

"Unless, Monkey…" Tujiu said, turning to the primate. "Is there anything you'd like to add?"

"I already to you about the creature's timing device." Monkey replied shortly. "There's nothing else to say."

Shifu blinked. Aside from General Tujiu and himself, Monkey was the only one who had been to Nepal before, when his family had briefly moved there to be closer to his father, a military commander. And yet aside from the news about the timing device, he had contributed little to the mission in terms of information. Yet Tujiu had just hinted that he knew more than he let on…

"General, is there anything  _you'd_ like to add?" The red panda asked.

"I told you all I know the other day." Tujiu replied coolly.

"Oh yeah?" Po stood up, suddenly angry. "Did you tell him about the clear message that thing sent to you to leave this place before the murders started?"

A flash of surprise crossed Tujiu's features.

"What message?" Sao demanded.

"That monster thing told me about it while it was choking me to death!" Po snapped. "It told me that it had sent you a message to leave the fortress, but you ignored it!"

"Is this true?" Xian asked dangerously.

"And it also told me that the bunch of dead guys we found in the snowdrift had been all those who knew the existence of the tomb!" Po went on before Tujiu could answer. "The only person with the authority and the stupidity to send them out there was you!  _What do you have to say to that?!_ "

"A COINCIDENCE!" Tujiu roared.

"ENOUGH!" Shifu yelled. "That is enough!"

The room fell silent.

"If we begin fighting amongst ourselves then disaster will be guaranteed to happen." He said. "Tujiu, I and the emperor will speak to you about these recent revelations later. In the meantime, I want us all to focus to finding a means to kill this damn thing! Is that clear?"

Tujiu and Po nodded.

"I'm sorry, Master." Po muttered.

Tujiu said nothing.

"You are forgiven, Po." Shifu said, though he couldn't really blame the panda. If there was one thing Po didn't believe in, it was expendable assets. "Now let's review what we know so far and come up with a strategy."

"Monkey, are you sure there isn't anything else you wanna tell us?" Po asked.

Monkey shook his head.

_First Tujiu, now Po…_  Shifu thought.

Okay, that settled it.

"I think my bandage needs changing." Monkey said, and went to the door.

He grabbed the handle, pulled it open… and Shifu slammed it shut again with a deafening bang.

Again, the room fell silent.

"Master?" Monkey asked in mild alarm.

Shifu didn't answer. Instead he slowly paced towards the middle of the room, emotions mixing and bubbling and thoughts and suspicions running through his mind over and over.

Though he had been suspicious ever since the first incident with the boulders, it was Po's question that had confirmed Shifu's suspicions. Po cared deeply for his friends. He trusted each and every one of them wholeheartedly, even the primate who pranked him on a daily basis. And yet now even he suspected that Monkey knew more than he was telling them. If Po thought Monkey was hiding something… then something was definitely going on. And as for Shifu, the thought of one of his students lying to him…

Made him explode.

" _How big a miserable old fool do you take me for?!_ "

All in his presence jumped at his sudden outburst. Po fell off his chair and Monkey backed up against the wall.

"M-Master Shifu?" Monkey stammered.

" _Do you think I don't know what's been going on?!_ "

"Er…"

_"I'm talking about you seeing the creature right before the boulder ambush, lying to my face about it, putting yourself in danger trying to go after it, and overall pretending that you don't know anything about it!_ " Shifu continued to holler. He had never felt so angry before in all his life. " _And I'm interested to know what you have to say for yourself!_ "


	38. A Monkey Tale

A second after Shifu's sudden rant, the tense atmosphere was tripled. Tigress stood up from her chair, her posture suddenly aggressive. Po's grip slackened on the dumpling he was holding. Xian's mouth opened slightly.

Inexplicably, Tujiu chuckled.

"Excellent work, detective Shifu." He said. "You finally figured it out. I was just about to confront him myself."

"Silence, you!" Shifu shot him a look. "You're not off the hook yet!"

"Monkey, is this true?" Tigress snarled. "Are you keeping something from us?"

Monkey didn't answer her as Tujiu continued to speak.

"Really, Shifu, you should learn to stop holding my past mistakes against me." Tujiu sighed. "Because I'm not the one hiding something. All I know I learned from observing the famous Master Monkey."

All faces turned to the primate.

"Monkey, if you know something then you had better tell us." Xian said coldly. "Or I will have you locked away for a long time if we get out of this alive."

"Hang on a sec, there's no law against keeping secrets!" Mantis exclaimed quickly.

"He is withholding information from the emperor." Colonel Sao said. "Technically that's treason."

The bug fell silent.

"I do not know what you are talking about." Monkey said. He did not move away from the wall. When Shifu took a step towards him he moved away from the wall and towards a small table carrying an urn. "I don't know anything."

Po remembered that night when he had witnessed Shifu questioning Monkey outside his room. He remembered their conversation in the kitchen the day before they left the Valley. His throat throbbed from the bruises. His chest and face began to feel hot.

"Monkey, if you know what that thing is, then you need to tell us!" Viper spoke up angrily.

"I don't know anything!" Monkey repeated.

"You may not know anything, but I do." Tujiu said with the smallest of smirks. "For example, did you know that one of the greatest dangers in the Himalayas are hidden crevasses? One wrong step and you fall to your death."

"And that is relevant how?" Tigress asked testily.

"Also, did you know that the thin air is all that keeps us from reaching the very top of this fortress? Even for birds like me?" Tujiu went on, ignoring Tigress in a way that annoyed the panda.

"You will hold your tongue if you know what's good for you!" Xian said.

"Hold on, your highness. I have one more fact." Tujiu said. "Did you know that a certain commander Shan and his entire unit was massacred in these very mountains fifteen years ago? Killer or killers still unknown."

Monkey turned on the general.

"Leave my father out of this!" He yelled.

A second later, Monkey's legs were swept out from under him, and Shifu's staff was pinning him to the floor by the chest.

"Tell us what you know!" Shifu ordered.

"I'm not telling you anything!"

" _MONKEY!_ "

Shocked silence filled the room at the sudden shout, a shout full of rage, frustration, and fear.

It hadn't come from Monkey. It hadn't come from Shifu. It hadn't even come from Xian.

"Monkey…" Po repeated softly. His sore throat burned. He looked down at Monkey with a pleading expression.

Monkey stared at his friend, and he wasn't the only one. Never in all their years of knowing the panda had they ever heard him roar like that. Even Shifu had been shocked into silence.

"Monkey… please… stop lying to us." Po said. "We aren't going to judge you if you tell us the truth. I'm your friend, Monkey. I'm your brother. But people are dying. Dozens of soldiers are dead. We have been attacked three times in the three days we've been here. Su was almost burned alive today. If you don't start telling us what you know then I'm gonna have to make you."

Monkey's expression was unreadable. Shifu kept his staff pressed against the primate's chest.

"Are you going to tell us the truth now?" Shifu asked.

Monkey sighed with thinly sadly sadness.

"Could you let me up, first?" He asked.

Shifu hesitated before complying.

* * *

It remembered now.

As it ascended the slope, taking the safe path devoid of crevasses hidden beneath thick blankets of snow, it remembered the young primate that had eluded its grasp fifteen years ago. As it neared its hiding place, it wondered if this changed things. An enemy only doing their job was one thing. An enemy with a personal grudge was something else.

By the time it reached the lair, it decided that in terms of its mission, this changed nothing.

* * *

Monkey didn't bother getting up from the floor.

Instead he sat on the cold stone, fully aware of everyone's eyes trained on him, waiting for him to start talking. But it was so hard… so hard to get his tongue to start working. He had never told the full story of what had happened that night fifteen years ago, not even to Master Oogway. Not even to Mantis. He momentarily locked eyes with the patiently waiting Po, and remembered the panda's speech barely a minute ago. He found his voice.

"General Tujiu is right." He said. "My father and his men were killed… no…  _murdered_  fifteen years ago… they were on a mission to wipe out the remains of a defeated warlord's army. General's orders." Xian frowned, but no-one noticed.

Monkey fell silent again. After a few seconds, Shifu began to lose patience.

"Monkey, we're waiting!"

"I'm sorry…" Monkey sighed again. "I… I just don't know where to start…"

"Why don't we start with the massacre?" Tujiu said. "I'm sure everyone would love to hear the details."

"Shut it, bird brain!" Po snapped angrily. "Monkey, why don't you just tell us what you know about the massacre? It might give us some clues."

Monkey didn't look at him.

"I'll try…" He said. "But I'm not sure I…"

"You were there, weren't you?" Tigress said. "I can see it in your face."

Monkey nodded.

"You're right. I wasn't there when it actually happened… but I saw the aftermath…"

He remembered the bodies… the blood… the stalagmite protruding from his father's chest…

"No wonder you didn't want to tell anyone." Po's sorrowful words distracted Monkey from his gruesome thoughts.

"I'm sorry." Monkey said. "Is it okay if I start from the beginning?"

Shifu and Po nodded.

"As I said before, my father and his unit had gone out into the Himalayas on a mission. Me and my family were staying in a village at the base of the mountains because it was closer to our relative's place. For a few days, everything was fine. But then a message came stating that the army camp was under attack. I hid in a cart while another unit went up to investigate. When we got there…" He stopped, deciding it would be easier if he left out the details at this point in the story.

"I won't traumatize you with the details. A massacre. No survivors. You get the idea."

"Were there any similarities between the massacre and the deaths occurring here?" Shifu asked. All of his anger had ben spent. "After all, it may not be the same killer."

"Dismembered limbs, broken bones. One of my father's metal swords was missing. Obviously the work of a super strong creature with a penchant for trinkets."

"Hang on, I thought you have both swords in our room?" Mantis asked.

"It was recovered from the mountains a few months ago. I don't know the rest." Monkey replied. "And there's more… I saw it."

"Saw what?"

"I saw the monster. Big. Domed head. Dark fur. Looks like a cross between a gorilla and a big cat. Definitely the same killer."

"Woah." Crane muttered.

"Yeah, I only just got away."

"If you encountered the creature, then what became of the soldiers who you travelled there with?" Tigress asked.

"Most of them survived. You see, a small group went into the caves near the camp to search for survivors. Only one of them survived, and was written off as crazy when he claimed it was a demon that had attacked them."

"What you tell them?" Tigress asked.

"I told them that it was a monster. Believe or not, they found that more believable. Not even Tai Lung could have butchered like that."

Po gulped.

"After that, I was taken back to the village, and my family was told what had happened. We pretty much fell apart after that. My mother never fully recovered, and my brother… well, you all know what he turned into."

Po nodded silently, and Monkey knew he was remembering that night when he had met Wu Kong for the first time. In fact, all his friends were remembering. Viper looked to be on the verge of tears.

"Monkey, I'm sorry about your father, but can you please tell us what this creature is now?" Xian asked.

Monkey decided to finally get up from the floor at that moment. He grabbed an empty chair and sat down.

"I'm getting there, your highness…" He said calmly. Somehow, seeing all his friends' expressions, ranging from sorrowful, to sympathetic, to compassionate, was having a soothing effect on him. At that moment, he felt foolish, moronically foolish for lying to them for so long. He owed them better than that. "After my father's death, my family decided to return to China. The day before our departure, I was walking through the marketplace, when I overheard two old men talking about the massacre. At first, I tried to ignore them, but then I heard one of them mention  _Bun Machi_."

" _Bun Machi_?" Shifu tilted his head.

"I didn't know what it was either, but I knew it was Nepali for 'jungle man'. I hadn't heard anyone else mention it when talking about the massacre, so I asked the two men what they were talking about."

Everyone leaned forward slightly.

"They said it was a creature that lived deep in the Himalayas. It possessed the strength of five gorillas. Its skull was shaped like a dome. Very few men had seen it and lived to tell about it."

The room was now completely devoid of sound.

"It goes by different names, depending on the region. In Tibet, it's known as the Yeti, or Migoi. People having been searching for it for centuries."

"A big monster with a dome shaped head." Po said. "Looks like there's no doubt about it."

"I have heard tales of this monster myself." Shifu said. "But I had dismissed them as nonsense to the point I had completely forgotten until now."

"Monkey, why didn't you tell us sooner?" Tigress demanded.

"I think you know why." Monkey replied. "Before, when my family returned to China, I was content to let it go so long I was as far away from these mountains as possible… but when Shifu told us about our mission when we were back in the palace…"

SLAM!

Everyone jumped, but Shifu had merely rammed the bottom of the staff on the floor.

"No!" He snapped. "I forbid you to risk everyone's lives by foolishly pursuing this creature!"

Monkey glared at the red panda, suddenly furious.

"Master…"

"I am sorry about what happened to your father, but it does not change the fact that you lied to us and in the process put every single one of us in danger, including a little girl and the emperor himself! Until this Yeti is killed you are not to go anywhere on your own, is that clear?!"

"You can't-"

"Monkey!" Tigress snapped. "The more you obsess with revenge, the more you put us at risk!"

"Besides, if we're quick we can leave this place without any more bloodshed!" Po put in.

"What?" Shifu stared at the panda.

"Do you remember what I told you?" Po said. "The Yeti said that it was planning to kill me to send a message to the rest of you that it was giving you one last chance to leave the mountain before it kills you all. I think it's safe to say that if we leave now, we won't be leaving in pieces."

There was a heavy pause. It was obvious that everyone was considering this.

"I don't know." Xian said. "It could be a trick."

"Well if it isn't, we'd better decide quickly whether we leave or stay." Po said. "The Yeti made it very clear that this is our last chance."

"I think many of the soldiers will be glad to get out of here." Tujiu said. "I don't know about some of the others, though. They may wish to avenge their comrades. I personally don't want to run away like a coward."

"There's no dishonor in retreating if there is a good reason for it." Shifu said. "And I'd say that preventing any more unnecessary deaths is a very good reason indeed." He turned away from Monkey. "In any case, Emperor Xian, it's your call."

Xian rested his elbows on the table as a myriad of thoughts ran through his head. Eventually he looked up.

"I will need to think about this. We have time. This Yeti creature is smart, so if it is willing to allow us to leave safely, it must know that it will take time to make preparations for departure. Give me until tomorrow morning to make a decision."

"Very well." Shifu nodded respectfully. "We will wait for you." He turned back to Monkey. "Monkey, is there anything else you need to tell us?"

"Yeah, you haven't told us how we can stop the Yeti, yet." Po said.

Monkey lowered his gaze.

"I'm sorry. That I don't know." He said. "That monster is so shrouded in mystery, and there is no record of one being defeated. If that thing that a weakness, then you're going to have to find it yourselves."

"And you are going to help us!" Shifu replied. "Unless you want me to confine you to the fortress's prison, which is still in very good condition apparently, then you will push all thoughts of revenge to the back of your mind!"

Monkey scowled, but wisely kept quiet.

"Well then, I guess all there is left to do is return to our rooms." Xian said. "Whether we decide to leave or stay, we all will need rest."

"Of course." Shifu said. "I wish to check on Su, anyway. Tigress, are you sure your shoulder is alright?" He added when he saw her grip her injury with a wince.

"I'm fine, Master. But it won't stop bleeding."

"I believe Di Tan knows how to brew a tonic that will stop the bleeding." Xian said. "He should still be with the girl."

"Oh." Sao said suddenly. "I thought she was on her own."

Tigress and Po looked up sharply, causing Sao to step back in alarm.

The atmosphere was once again more than a little tense.

"Po, Tigress, is everything okay?" Viper asked.

"Nothing important." Tigress said. "We'll tell you later."

Shifu did not miss the glance she gave him, indicating that whatever got them both so agitated was something he needed to know.

"Tigress?" Po said. "I think the blood's starting to seep through the bandage."

"We'd better get going." Shifu said. Po blinked when he noted the worry in the red panda's tone.

Come to think of it, Shifu had occasionally been acting odd around Tigress since they had left the Valley of Peace.


	39. Scalded and Scorched

_Master Shifu._

_Su was having trouble sleeping, so I have taken her to the library in the hopes that she will tire out. If you need us, we'll be on the bottom floor in the fairy tales section._

_Di Tan._

_P.S. Don't forget to say I love you to Tigress._

Shifu quickly crumpled up the note before anyone could see it.

"It's alright." Shifu said to the others. "They've gone to the library."

"Should we go get them?" Viper asked. She had sustained no painful injuries from the explosive incident earlier that evening, but had insisted on joining Shifu, Po and Tigress so she could check up on Su. Monkey, Crane and Mantis, meanwhile, had returned to their rooms to brood and everything they had learned, while General Tujiu had returned to his study.

"Perhaps we should." Xian said, having entered the room at that moment. "Tigress needs Di Tan's tonic and it's far too late for a child to be up."

"What are you doing here, your highness?" Tigress asked. "Pardon me, but I thought you returning to your room?"

"I was." Xian replied. "But it has been a long and stressful day and I desperately need some sweet tea."

"Your highness…" Po said worriedly. "You're not really going to arrest Monkey for treason, are you?"

The emperor smiled slightly and shook his head.

"No, Dragon Warrior. I won't. Now that I know what he had been through, I'm finding it easier to forgive him. Besides, I'm more worried about what  _you_  will do to him." He looked down at Shifu, who scowled at him. "Have you considered piercing his ear with a seven talon ring?"

"Emperor, if you are referring to what happened during my demonstration in the training hall, we are going to spar like we did when you hid a stink bomb under my meditation mat!"

Xian's smirk fell and he gripped his tail protectively.

"Oh, I forgot to ask…" Po turned back to Shifu. "Master Shifu, what did General Tujiu say when you asked him about the weird happenings in this fortress?"

"He told me that neither he nor his soldiers had experienced anything strange prior to our arrival at the fortress. He was telling the truth for sure. Speaking of truths, why did you and Tigress tense up earlier? And why did you keep whatever was troubling you to yourself?"

"Forgive us, Master." Tigress said. "We were afraid that if we told you while everyone was present, it would cause a scene. And you're right, the last thing we need is to be fighting amongst ourselves."

Shifu nodded in understanding, but kept silent, indicating that he wanted her to keep talking.

"The thing is, we caught Colonel Sao spying on Su at the camp."

"What?" Shifu's ears pricked. "Are you sure of this?"

"Yeah." Po butted in. "Su told us that he had been persistently asking her personal questions earlier that day. He was scaring her so we told him to back off."

"And what did he say?" Shifu asked, anger rising within him.

"He said that if we wanted to know why he was interested in Su, we would have to take it up with the general. At that point the storage building blew up."

"I'm going to kill Tujiu." Xian snarled, fists clenching and unclenching. "I am going to kill him."

"What did he want with her?" Viper hissed furiously. Her head was turned slightly towards the door, as if she was preparing to go and confront him herself.

"I don't know, but I think it was something to do with that day when Su pointed out that he seemed to know more about the Yeti than he was letting on. He looked pretty shocked." Po said. "Maybe he thought that she had something to hide, like Monkey."

"As I thought." Shifu said. "These attacks are making him paranoid. Once Tigress has been given her tonic and Su is safely back in this room, I am going to have a word with-"

"No, Shifu." Said Xian.

"What?"  
"Master Shifu, it's late enough as it is, and if that creature attacks tomorrow we will need all the strength we can get." Xian said. "Besides, he resents you. I highly doubt he will listen. However, he would be a fool to disobey me. I will confront him myself, tomorrow."

"Very, well, if you're sure…" Shifu said.

At that moment, the door opened, and in walked Di Tan and Su.

"There you are." Viper sighed in relief. "How was the library?"

"Very informative, as all libraries are." Di Tan said. "And I think Su has taken an interest in the Nepali language. She's been reading the scrolls and books none-stop!"

Su let out a silent yawn and rubbed her eyes.

"Time for bed, young lady." Shifu chuckled as Su staggered over and climbed under the covers. "Why don't we leave and give her some peace?"

They all bade Su goodnight and crept out the room.

"What's that big grin on your face, Viper?" Tigress asked slyly.

"I'm sorry." Viper sighed. "I just love Su so much. I love kids, and she reminds me so much of my youngest sister, Suki. I'm just so glad that she's okay."

"You and me both, Vi." Tigress said. When she had learned that Su had made it out of the building, her reaction had been so out of character that half the soldiers in the vicinity had stared at her like she had grown eight tails. "All the same, she had inhaled more than a little smoke. We should keep an eye on her tomorrow."

Shifu suddenly remembered why they were here.

"Di Tan, I almost forgot. Tigress's injury will not stop bleeding. Could you procure a tonic?"

"Of course." Di Tan said. "If you will just come with me to the kitchen…"

* * *

Po had known he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

However, he had not expected his bruises to throb so distractedly, making him toss and turn in his bed as Crane and Di Tan slept peacefully opposite the room. The covers twisted around him as he fidgeted.

 _Creak_.

Po opened his eyes.

Someone was walking down the corridor. Who would still be up at this late hour?

He was about to climb out of bed when the door opened silently, and a striped feline poked her head into the room.

"Po?" She whispered in surprise. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"Nah." Po replied, unconsciously rubbing his aching throat. "Is something wrong?"

"I can't sleep." Tigress said. "My shoulder won't stop throbbing."

"Me either." Po sighed. "My bruises, I mean. Do you want to talk outside?"

Tigress nodded, and moved away from the door as Po crept across the guest room and joined her in the corridor. Before he did so, he grabbed his winter jacket. It was a cold night.

"So what?" He said. "Are you checking up on me?"

Tigress frowned, but nodded.

"I figured with your bruises, you wouldn't be able to sleep either." She said.

"You know, my dad taught me how to brew a painkilling tea." Po said. "I think the ingredients are in the kitchen. Do you want to…"

"Have another tea party?" Tigress smirked. Po turned bright red. "Sure, why not?"

Taking care not to wake the others, Po and Tigress left the corridor and made their way down to the kitchen.

The kitchen was twice as large as that in the Jade Palace, and it took both warriors five minutes to find the right cupboard. Eventually they did, and Tigress sat down at a table with two cups while Po began brewing.

"So…" Po said after a couple of minutes of whistling. "How are you liking the Himalayas? Pretty awesome scenery, huh?"

"Too much snow for my liking." Tigress replied. "Still, you get a pretty good view from the guestroom window."

"Yeah, tell me about it." Po grinned.

"Po, I don't think this is the appropriate time for idle chit chat." Tigress said, even though she was smiling herself. "We have a monstrous killer on the loose."

"I know, I know…" Po shook his head. "But right now, we're both relaxing in the kitchen in the middle of the night, having a cup of tea together. Who knows if this will be the last time we ever have a normal conversation?"

"Good point." Tigress said, considering how she was enjoying his company a lot more in the past one and a half years. "Is that tea ready?"

"Just about. How many teaspoons of sugar do you want?" He asked.

"Just one." Tigress replied. "Any more and I'll be up all night."

"True." Po put three teaspoons into his own cup. "Tigress… have you ever killed someone before?"

Tigress stared at him, not expecting this question in the slightest.

"Excuse me?"

Po didn't reply at first. Instead he filled both cups and sat down on the table opposite the tiger.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to." He said.

"Every master will be forced to take the life of their enemy at least once in their life." Tigress replied grimly. She was surprised that Po of all people would ask that. "I have not been forced into that position so far. Why would you ask such a thing, Po?"

Po sipped his tea.

"You know how Shifu and the others keep talking about stopping that Yeti?' Po spoke. "Well, lately they're not just talking about defeating it. They're talking about actually  _killing_  it."

Tigress felt a pang in her chest as she realized where this was headed.

"Tigress, I know that thing is a monster and it probably deserves to die… but I'm not sure I can actually do it when the time comes." She could clearly see the troubled look in his eyes now as he stared at her, silently pleading for her to say something helpful.

"Po…"

Before she could react, Po suddenly reached out and grabbed her paw. Her eyes widened at the touch.

"Tigress, I really don't want to hear any 'I know you don't want to but you have to' speeches right now. I don't know what will happen to me if I actually kill someone, and to be honest I really don't want to!" He squeezed her paw. "All I want to know is if it would actually change anything!"

"No, it won't." Tigress looked directly into his eyes.

"How do you know?"

Tigress squeezed Po's paw in turn and placed her other paw on top of it.

"When if it comes to it, I'll do it myself."

Now it was Po's turn to widen his eyes.

She meant it. Tigress meant what she said. Or did she? All she knew was that if she could help it, she would keep Po from losing that small part of him that made him both annoying and endearing. But then again, as she had just admitted, she had never deliberately killed someone before.

"Tigress, are you sure you want to do that?"

"Yes." She said. "I don't know how I going to do it yet, but I will."

"Well, maybe with a little luck you won't have to." He said. "If the emperor decides that we should leave, then the day after tomorrow we'll be on our way out of the Himalayas."

"That's if the Yeti isn't tricking us into walking into an ambush."

There was a heavy pause.

"Tigress… how's your shoulder?" Po asked.

"Much better." Tigress patted her bandage. "That tea has done wonders."

Po yawned.

"It's getting late. What do you say we head back to bed?" he said.

"Sure. We should clean up first."

"I'll do it."

Po grabbed his cup and the teapot and headed towards the sink.

"Tigress…" Po said, his back to her. "Can I ask you something?"

"You already did, but go ahead."

"Have you noticed Shifu acting a little weird, lately?"

"You mean like Monkey?"

"No, I mean towards you."

Tigress tilted her head.

"What do you mean?"

Po walked back to the table and sat down.

"Every time he looks at you, it looks like he's trying to figure something out." Po said. "And earlier today, he wouldn't stop asking if you were okay." Po peered at her thoughtfully. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was trying to be more fatherly."

"Excuse me?!" Tigress said suddenly. Po blinked.

"Er…"

"Why would he try to be more fatherly?" Tigress demanded. "Especially at a time like this and when he has been nothing but my master for the last twenty years?"

"Tigress, I-"

"Next time get your facts straight before coming out with crap like that!"

Tigress decided that it was time to leave, and shot up from her seat. In the process, her hip knocked the edge of the table, sending her cup of steaming hot tea toppling onto Po's pants.

"GA-HA-HA-HA!" Po yelped and sprung to his feet, dripping from the legs down.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry!" Tigress went from angry to mortified in zero-point-three seconds and she grabbed a towel. "Po, are you-"

"I'm fine!" Po said through clenched teeth. A huge dark stain was growing on the spot between his legs.

"Po, I'm so…"

"I gotta go before someone sees me like this!" Tigress did not miss the anger in Po's tone as he rushed from the room, leaving a trail of droplets behind him.

Tigress watched him go, her face grimacing in anguish as her paws twisted the towel between them.

 _Why?_  She thought.  _Why is it always me?_

* * *

"What?" Tujiu said in outrage. "Master Po and Tigress caught you?"

"Actually, the girl spotted me." Said Sao. "It was my fault. I underestimated her."

"It is alright. So did I." Tujiu said. "Did you manage to get anything out of her?"

"Nothing important. Unfortunately she was one of those kids who knew not to talk to strangers."

"Damn."

"It is alright, sir. She is just a child. I doubt she knows anything she shouldn't." Sao said. "And that medallion she possessed… if it weren't for the fact that the indentation in the sarcophagus is square shaped, I'd think it may be significant somehow."

"All the same, I need to know as much about her as possible. Whether she knows too much or not, she has a brilliant mind. With training, she may even surpass Master Yao."

"Training, sir?"

"Think about it. A girl with a mind so advanced and at an impressionable age, she would be a great asset to the order if they decide to use her."

"Sir, she is a student at the Jade Palace, and very well protected against kidnapping. It may be years before the order finds an opportunity to capture her."

Tujiu chuckled icily.

"We can wait. You are dismissed."

Sao saluted him and headed for the door. Just as he opened the door, he stopped, hesitated, then turned round.

"Uh, sir…"

"Yes?" Tujiu asked irritably. He needed sleep.

"Have you seen anyone strange these past few days?"

"What do you mean strange?"

"While I was on my way to brief you, I saw this figure pass through the fork in in the corridor I was approaching. I didn't recognize him or her, so I investigated. Only the path they had gone down led to a dead end."

Tujiu's eyes narrowed.

"Are you sure you were not hallucinating?"

"Sir, you know I don't drink." Sao replied indignantly.

"That's not what I asked."

"General Tujiu, I know what I saw was real. There were even scorched footprints on the floor."

"Scorched?"

"Yes."

Tujiu rubbed his chin with a talon. He thought about Shifu's odd inquiries about supernatural happenings earlier that day. Maybe the red panda hadn't been trying to pull his leg after all.


	40. The Ambassador's Journal

It had been an explosive day. Literally.

It had been a revealing night. Practically.

Shifu was more than glad to finally be back in his room, ready to rest for what little of the night remained. When he entered, he was surprised to find Su still awake, propped up against the pillows, reading from a scroll. Several scrolls were lying at the foot of the bed.

"Why are you still up?" He asked.

Su gasped, so engrossed in her reading that she hadn't noticed the red panda come in.

"I still can't sleep." Su said. "And yes, it's because of the monster hiding in my closet."

"Are you feeling okay?" Shifu asked, his first thought being complications from smoke inhalation.

_Wait, did Su just use sarcasm?_

"Sure." Su said. "Aside from not being able to sleep. Why were you shouting earlier?"

Shifu's ears flattened against his head as the memories of the night's revelations came back to him.

"You heard that, huh?"

"Uh huh." Su said. "What happened? Did Master Po fall asleep on you again?"

Shifu sighed. Su was a good girl. One of the loveliest little girls he had ever met. The least he could do was be honest with her.

"It turned out Monkey knew what the monster was and didn't tell us. The shouting you heard was me confronting him about it."

"You didn't hurt him, did you?" Su stared at him anxiously.

"No, I didn't." Shifu replied assuredly. "Po managed to persuade him to tell us the truth before I could do any damage."

"Oh, good. So what is it? Is it a Yeti?"

Shifu blinked.

"How did you know?"

"I read about it in the library half an hour ago." Su said. "After I encountered it in the burning building I began to suspect it may be one of those mythical creatures, like the Qilin Mr. Ping likes to tell stories about. I didn't want to say anything until I was absolutely certain."

Shifu fought the urge to laugh. He was going to have to get used to Su's newly revealed brilliance. He and Xian even had a conversation about it while he had been escorting the weary emperor back to his quarters…

_"That young girl, Su." Xian said, breaking the silence in the torch lit corridor. "How is she doing?"_

_"Very well, Emperor Xian. The healer is quite sure that she is in the clear, but should be confined to the bedroom tomorrow, just in case."_

_"Thank god for that. That mons-Yeti must have had real guts to venture into an army camp to destroy a building."_

_"Speaking of which…" Shifu gave the tiger a hard look. "Why were there powder kegs intended for cannons kept in that building?"_

_"I gave you a reason earlier." Xian replied coldly._

_Shifu was about to retort that Xian had given him an excuse, not a reason, when it suddenly occurred to him that that may have been exactly what the emperor had intended. For beneath Xian's cold words, he sensed a warning. Of something he couldn't say even in the most isolated place in all of Asia._

_Shifu decided it would be wise to drop the subject for the time being._

_"I'm still shocked…" He said. "Su has been with us for several months. Why is it that she hasn't displayed this kind of intelligence before?"_

_"Maybe it's because she's a peasant."_

_Shifu wasn't entirely sure what look he gave the emperor at that moment, but it was enough to make him step back in alarm and hold his paws up in front of his face. For a moment, he was once again the troublesome teen caught pranking his master._

_"Woah, hang on there!" Xian exclaimed. "I didn't mean it like that!"_

_"Then what did you mean then?"_

_"I'll put it like this; for the first few years of her life, Su has lived in a farming village that has had little or no contact with the outside world." Xian said. "From what you told me, the only education there is from her parents and a weekly cooking class."_

_"Go on."_

_"And then one day, she moves into the Jade Palace, spends some time in its impressive library, and bam! So much knowledge that she's finally able to bring her remarkable brain to its true potential!"_

_"So you're saying it's because she loves reading?" Shifu asked dryly._

_Xian laughed._

_"Not exactly what I meant, but now that you bring it up, yes."_

Shifu brought himself back to the present and turned his attention to the scrolls scattered on the bed. Many of them looked so old the paper had turned yellow, though it was hard to tell because of the thick layer of dust covering them.

"Did you get those from the library?" He said.

"Nope." Su replied. "I found them under the bed."

"You what?" Shifu spotted the wooden box at the foot of the bed.

"I found them under the bed. It looks like they form someone's journal."

That got Shifu leaping onto the bed and sitting down beside her.

"Let me have a look." He said, only for Su to hold the scroll away from his outstretched hand.

"Wait, you should read them the right way!" She scolded, and picked up another one. "Here, this is the first one."

Shifu took the scroll and started to read.

_Just as it seemed Lord Shi'xie was about to explode with impatience, a messenger arrived. We had at last been granted an audience with Ember, the Dragon Empress who rules the white fortress. I have been sent not just as an ambassador, but as a spy. My Lord is determined to claim this building and the wonders within as its own. I wonder if perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned this._

_When I entered the throne room, I was rather taken aback at her appearance and her demeanor. Her body was completely obscured in silken clothing, making it impossible to determine her species. A frightening mask covered her face. I could not see her eyes through the black holes in the mask, but I knew they were focused on me. Much to my surprise, she was completely alone for the entirety of our meeting. Even the general of her armies waited outside the throne room, rather than stand by her side. A very puzzling and unnerving day indeed._

"Lord Shi'xie…" Shifu whispered. "So it's true. He knew about the fortress's existence."

 _Ember…_  He felt a strange chill in the air as his mind repeated that name over and over. Perhaps he had just learned the identity of the sarcophagus's resident.

"Su, which one is the second scroll?"

"That one."

Shifu read the scroll, in which the ambassador wrote about his visit to the library. Aside from the ambassador's fascination with the third floor, which he had been forbidden to enter, the scroll wasn't very informative.

"Here, this is the third one." Su handed him the scroll she had kept from him earlier. This one was far more interesting.

_I was able to make a good observation of Ember's army this morning. Dozens of strange creatures. Domed heads… a physical strength that would make the Asian elephant look like a wimp… these are the Yeti for sure. My Lord will never believe me, though. However, my job is to assess the strength of her armies. And I know for sure that they are the most formidable soldiers I have ever seen. Attempting an invasion may not be the best idea._

_When I was sure that no-one was guarding me, I snuck into the third floor of the library. After much searching, I found that one of the torches, when pulled, revealed a secret passage. I did not find much. Just a hall full of treasure that I didn't dare touch, and a second room with an empty stone coffin. The room was illuminated enough that I was able to discover a second door. It was completely sealed and there was a circular depression with an engraving that strangely resembled the Seal of Yingxiong that my Lord has recently acquired._

_Tomorrow I will return to my Lord's fortress and inform him of what I have learned. He will send me back if he is not satisfied, but whether or not I will be allowed to is entirely up to Ember._

Shifu picked up the next scroll.

_As I anticipated, my Lord was not happy. In his rage, he blurted out something called the Eternal Ember. I wasn't sure whether or not he meant the empress, but when I asked he ordered me to hold my tongue. Once he had calmed down, I told him about the sealed door, and how the Seal of Yingxiong may be the key to opening it._

_In case you didn't know, the Seal of Yingxiong came into my Lord's possession several years ago when he took an interest in the legend of the Temple of Heroes. It was a simplistic golden disc, with a dragon engraved on both sides. A few throats had had to be slit to acquire it, and even then there was still the dilemma of finding the temple itself. When I told him about the sealed door, his mood lifted instantaneously. He has sent me back to this place, with the seal in hand, with one last order: find out what is behind the sealed door, or die trying._

"A golden disc…" Shifu stared at the girl by his side. "It can't be…"

He grabbed the fifth and final scroll, sure it must be a coincidence.

_The seal is gone._

_When I woke up this morning and pulled out my box of scrolls, I found the seal gone. This was no accident. They knew what I had planned to do._

_After my request to meet Ember was granted, I politely asked her about the seal, and why it is missing. What she said rocked me to my core. As it turned out, she had a hand in constructing several ancient structures throughout China and beyond, and each one required a key to unlock it. The Seal of Yingxiong is that key. It could open every door Ember had helped build. She told me that the seal has been returned to its rightful place. I doubt my Lord will ever see it again. I must return to him, inform him that Ember knew our intentions all along, and that she is never to be trifled with. To anger the Dragon Empress would lead to our destruction._

The bottom of the scroll was slightly charred.

"Pretty creepy, huh?" Su said. "What do you think happened to him?"

"I'm not sure." Shifu said.

He realized that he was breathing heavily.

It was just too coincidental. Su's lucky coin, the key to the Temple of Heroes, couldn't possibly be the key to the door in the underground chamber. Speaking of which, why hadn't he, Xian, Mantis and Viper come across that door before? They must have had missed it in the darkness. He should inform Xian at once. The ambassador's journal had been a lucky find, and the emperor should be the first to know. But it was very late, everyone was exhausted. He would tell him in the morning.

He was interrupted from his thoughts by loud yawn coming from the panda cub sitting next to him.

Despite himself he chuckled.

"What do you say we tidy up these scrolls and call it a night?"

"Okay!"

Together they gathered the scrolls and put them back in the box. After putting the box in the corner, they bade each other good night and Shifu sat down on his mat while Su got settled beneath the covers of the bed. Carefully, gracefully, Shifu lit the single candle in front of him, closed his eyes and began his breathing rhythm.

"Inner peace…" He mouthed rather than spoke so as not to disturb Su. "Inner peace…"

He inhaled… a shiver ran down his spine as his ears caught the sound of the wind picking up… he exhaled… the candlelight flickered slightly… he inhaled… memories of dominoes and golden fields flooded his mind as he fought to clear it… he exhaled…

"Master Shifu?"

Shifu opened his eyes to find Su standing right next to him, a pillow clutched between her tiny paws. She looked like she was trying to avoid direct eye contact.

"Su? What's wrong?"

"Could I sleep next to you?"

Shifu was so taken aback he nearly knocked the candle over.

"W-Why would you want to do that?" he asked once he was sure he hadn't started a fire.

"It's a little lonely in that big bed." Su said quietly. "And I don't feel very well."

At that, the red panda reached up and placed a hand on the girl's forehead. She was burning up.

"Does your chest hurt?" He asked, trying to remember the symptoms of smoke inhalation the medic had told them to watch out for.

Su shook her head.

Shifu lowered his hand.

Su wasn't coughing, and her breathing was more or less normal. Her voice was also okay. The only abnormality was her high temperature, but the medic did not mention that as a smoke inhalation symptom.

"It's probably just a cold." Shifu said. He wondered if he should take any chances, but then again if it was a cold, taking her outside to visit to medic was probably not a good idea. "Viper has extensive medical knowledge, so she'll have a look at you in the morning."

"Okay." Su gave him a little salute.

"If it will help you feel a little better, you can sleep next to me."

Su brightened up at that, and she grabbed the blanket from the bed and lay down next to Shifu. The red panda felt his heart rate speed up a little from the close, warm presence.

"Goodnight." Su, and a few minutes later she was out like a light.

Shifu pushed the candle to his other side, got back into position, and closed his eyes again.

This time, his mouth didn't move.

 _Inner peace…_  said a voice in his head.  _Inner peace…_

One of his ears twitched when Su mumbled lightly in her sleep. For some reason, his eyelids refused to lift. There was a rustle as she pulled the blanket further around herself. When she became quiet again, Shifu returned to his breathing exercise.

Inhale… exhale… inhale… exhale… his felt his heart rate slow down again… inhale… exhale… it was an odd feeling to have someone sleeping so peacefully next to you, banishing all loneliness and fear… it was a feeling he hadn't felt since Tai Lung's childhood and the time a little Tigress caught the fever…


	41. The Middle of the Night

_When Shifu found Tigress, she was facing off with the adversary in one corner of the training hall. At first he didn't make his presence known, instead he stood silently in the doorway and waited to see what the tiger cub would do._

_Judging from the pose she was currently in, Tigress was still practicing the thrust punch. Three days had passed since Shifu set her on the task of perfecting her punch, and she was making steady progress. He could see it in her stance. Aside from her right foot being placed two inches in the wrong position, her stance was flawless. However, he now knew better than to shower her with praise._

_As he watched her, Shifu suddenly realized that something was off. Her movements were slow and tired, and as he caught a quick glimpse at the side of her face, he noticed that she looked pale. Come to think of it, she hadn't eaten all day, and the Jade Palace had recently suffered an outbreak of fever amongst the palace staff._

_"Not you too." Shifu sighed and tapped his bamboo flute on the floor, startling the cub._

_"Master Shifu!" Tigress spun to face him and bowed._

_"Tigress, it appears that you have caught the fever." Shifu said, deciding to make it short and to the point. "I want you to drop what you're doing and see the healer."_

_Tigress looked like she didn't agree, but by now she knew better than to question her master. She bowed again and headed for the exit, only for a teenage goose to accidentally block her path._

_"Oh, I'm sorry!" He exclaimed breathlessly before turning to Shifu. "Master Shifu, I have some bad news. The healer has also become stricken."_

_"You're joking." Shifu gave the goose a disbelieving look._

_"I don't joke, Master." Zeng replied. "It looks like you and me are the only ones left. Aside from Master Oogway, of course."_

_Shifu rubbed his temple. This had to be one of the most frustrating weeks of his life. "Where is Master Oogway, Zeng?"_

_"Up on Peach Tree Hill, as always."_

_"Please tell him that we may need to cancel training for the week. We can't risk the other students getting sick."_

_"Yes, Master." Zeng flew off, colliding with the door lintel on the way and showering Tigress in tiny grey feathers._

_"As for you, Tigress, I want you to go straight to bed immediately. I will have one of the servants bring you some water shortly."_

_Tigress sneezed from the tickling feathers, bowed once more and left._

_Later that day, Shifu made his way down the corridor of the student barracks holding a box the size of a vegetable crate. Inside was a series of scrolls that would help Tigress master the thrust punch and all the moves that came with it. Just because she was sick didn't mean that she couldn't study. Shifu quietly stepped into the room to find Tigress snoozing softly in bed, no blanket as usual, a half full jug of water on the bedside table. There was also a small stool Zeng had sat on while giving Tigress some fever medicine._

_Shifu sat down on the stool and placed the box in front of him. It shouldn't be too difficult to find the first scroll, considering there were only five in the box, and then place it on the table for Tigress to find. She was a smart girl. She would know quickly that Shifu wanted her to study._

_When he opened the box, he found not five, not ten, but what must be twenty-five scrolls inside._

_"I'm going to kill you, Zeng." Shifu growled. Taking care not to rustle the paper too much, Shifu dug through the pile and started searching._

_Miraculously, Tigress did not wake up, not even when Shifu finally managed to separate the kung fu scrolls from the bamboo encyclopedia scrolls and moved to place the first thrust punch scroll on the table. As he stretched his arm out, he saw little Tigress's face. One striped forearm was stretched in front of her face, partially shielding it from view. Her little nose twitched, and Shifu's sensitive ears twitched at the sound of her soft murmuring._

_She's dreaming, he realized. He fought the urge to chuckle. She looked so adorable when she slept…_

_Stop that! The cold bitterness in Master Shifu snapped. You must avoid past mistakes! Under no circumstances are you to have any emotional relationship with this child! Do you remember what happened when-_

_Don't remind me. The lingering guilt in Master Shifu replied sadly._

_But she needs this. The dwindling compassion in Master Shifu spoke._

_No. She will let the praise go to her head. Said bitterness._

_You're right. Said guilt._

_But she's suffered so much already… Said compassion._

_She will learn humility in suffering. Said bitterness._

_But she will never learn true happiness. Said compassion._

_Even without suffering, she won't. Nobody ever does. Said guilt._

_You did. Once. Said compassion._

_And look what it did to my son! I will not have her turning into Tai Lung! Snapped bitterness._

_And that was the end of Shifu's mental argument._

_With a huff, he set the scroll on the table and turned towards the door._

_He was about to close the door behind him when he heard the wind howl outside. It was a cold winter afternoon, probably what had brought out the fever in the first place. Shifu turned his head to look at the sleeping Tigress. Without a blanket, even with her fever she must be cold._

_Oh, what the hell. The suppressed love in Master Shifu said._

_He stepped back into the room, pulled out the folded blanket from beneath the table, carefully draped it over Tigress's still form,_ thud.

Shifu's eyes snapped open, bringing him back to the present.

The thud had come from outside, in the corridor. A second later, Shifu heard a certain panda curse.

Shifu rolled his eyes. From the sounds of it, Po had once again sneaked out for a midnight snack and tripped over nothing whatsoever, typical.

Shifu turned his gaze from the wall in front of him to the candle on the floor. Though the little flame was still burning strongly, a clear three inches had melted away since the red panda had closed his eyes. He had no idea how long had passed.

_Did I really fall asleep during meditation? Darn, I'm getting old._

There was a chance that the sudden noise had woken Su. With the sickly state she was in, she needed all the sleep she can get.

Shifu turned his head to examine the panda cub.

All he saw was a crumpled blanket.

Shifu grabbed the blanket, half expecting Su to be hiding underneath it.

"Su?"

The cub didn't answer.

Shifu got to his feet, and in the process his green grandmaster's robe collapsed to the floor.

_What the-_

As he picked up the robe, he realized that it had been unclasped.

_But who and why-_

He would ask Su once he found her in the bathroom. If it had been her who done it.

Of course she was in the bathroom. Where else could she be? She wasn't like other children her age, who would run around the house in the middle of the night just for the sake of it.

All the same, Shifu couldn't shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong as he walked over to the bathroom door and opened it.

He was barely able to see through the darkness of the empty bathroom.

Shifu spun round, and his stomach lurched when he saw that the guestroom door was wide open.

No. Su would never leave the guestroom without telling him first. Never.

"Su?!"

Shifu dropped his grandmaster robe and sprinted into the corridor. The only panda he saw was the Dragon Warrior, who looked like he had been about to enter his own room.

"Po!" Shifu both shouted and sprinted over to the panda.

"M-Master Shifu!" Po yelped and covered his nether-regions. Shifu noticed that his pants were soaked, but at the moment he couldn't care less.

"Po, Su's gone! Have you seen her?"

"No, I hav- what do you mean Su's gone?" Po asked in confusion.

"She's not in the guestroom! Did you not see her?"

"No, I thought she was sharing a room with you!"

The two panda, one red and one black, suddenly had the same horrifying thought.

_The dreams. The tomb!_

"Po, wake the others! I'm going into the tomb!" Shifu took off like a shot.

His injured leg ailed him as he pushed his body to the limits, sending dust motes flying through the air as he sped down the corridors at record speed. If that thing that had mentally attacked Po and Crane hurts Su, an innocent child…

He reached the library, practically leapt up to the top floor, pulled the secret lever, and rushed down the darkened stairs, torch in hand. He sprinted through the empty treasure vault, passed the dusty sarcophagus, traversed the second passage, and emerged in the throne room.

Shifu leant against one arm of the throne. He was breathing heavily, not from exhaustion, but from fear and rage. He wasn't just afraid, but terrified. Su could be anywhere in the fortress, kidnapped or worse. He was also furious with himself for falling asleep and allowing her to disappear. If she ended up hurt or killed it would be his fault.

"You fool." He growled to himself. He left the throne room and joined with Po and the Five in the guestroom corridor. Strangely Tigress was absent.

"Master, what's going on?" Viper demanded. "Po said Su is missing!"

Shifu took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking.

"It's true." Viper went pale. "We must not panic. Viper, you, Crane and Mantis search the west side of the fortress. Po, you take Monkey and head east. Where's Tigress?"

"She's probably in the kitchen." Said Po.

"Then if Su is there Tigress will find her." Said Shifu. "Di Tan, you stay here in case Su returns. Everyone go, now!"

All six students took off running. Viper's fading voice was already calling Su's name.

"Oh, Master Shifu, this is horrible!" Di Tan clasped his head between his wings. "First the fire, now this! Can't I come with you?"

"No, you have to stay here. Shout if she turns up." Shifu started running down the corridor.

"Wait, where are you going?!"

"I've already checked the tomb! I'm going to search top to bottom!"

Shifu burst into the entrance hall, and almost immediately felt an icy breeze assault the side of his face. Shifu turned his head to face the source of the wind: the entrance door was slightly open, swaying in the wind.

_She's outside._

"Su!"

There was no time to call the others. When Shifu shoved his way through the doors, he immediately found himself beset by harsh wind. Luckily there was no snowfall, otherwise there would have been zero visibility, and it was already near-pitch black. He couldn't see Su anyway in the stone courtyard. He had to find her before her exposure to the elements made her severely ill or worse, and she was already sick with a cold.

He caught the sound of his students' panicked voices emanating from the open door, voices that to any other person would be impossible to make out. Several seemed close by, while others were almost unintelligible. Considering that they were all scattered around the palace searching for Su, this wasn't surprising.

"Su!"

"Su, sweetie, where are you?"

"Oh god, we never should have come here! This is all our fault!"

Tigress was right. This was their fault. No, it was  _his_  fault. The moment he had made Su share a room with him, he had made himself solely responsible for her safety. And now he was going to do whatever it took to find her.

The immediate area around the entrance door was grey stone, the blanket of snow lay farther out. Shifu ventured further into the wind, folding his arms from the cold. It was a far colder winter than it was in the Valley of Peace.

Just as he had hoped, there was a single set of panda cub sized footprints leading to the right. Towards one of the towers.

_Su would never go outside by herself, not at this time of night. And hers is the only set of footprints around. Could she be sleepwalking like Po and Crane had done during our first night in this godforsaken place?_

If she were, then it would be pointless to keep calling her name: sleepwalkers were completely cut off from reality until they awakened. All the same, he shouted "Su!" once more before he took off, carefully following the footprints and holding an arm in front of his face to shield himself from the wind. At one point he found a large hole in the snow in the middle of the tracks, like a bead on a thread. Su must have tripped in her sleep.

Just as his body started to shiver from the biting cold, his head collided with something vertical and solid. Looking up, Shifu found himself staring up at one of the massive double doors of the right hand tower.

_I knew it. But all that's here is a prison and a foundry. Why would whatever mentally attacked Po and Crane bring her here?_

He thought of Po and Crane's stories of their brutal dream-murders, and of the disturbing image Crane's leg had been forced to draw, and his stomach twisted.

"Su! If you can hear me, stay away from him!" Shifu yelled as he ran through the other half of the double door, which had been pushed wide open.

The prison was a massive labyrinth of cells. No torches lit the corridors, meaning Shifu had to endure several minutes of collisions and the sound of his own thundering heart. But still no sign of Su.

_All that's left is the foundry upstairs. If she's not there…_

His legs didn't give him time to finish the thought, taking him to the nearest set of stairs.

His half-healed leg was throbbing by the time he had reached the foundry. It was still in good condition, and after the destruction of the imperial army's weaponry it was due to once again be put to use. Unfortunately when Shifu stepped into the two-floor high room there were no soldiers in sight that he could question. However, unlike the prison this area was at least partially lit. The single massive vat standing at one corner of the room was giving off a vivid orange glow.

"Come on, Su, where are you?" Shifu muttered. He looked up towards the series of stone platforms that made up the second floor. He saw no small shape. His breath began to quicken. He looked up towards the only place left, the single platform that stood several feet above the others, right above the vat…

"Oh my god…" He whispered when he saw her. Su was standing at the very precipice, right above the container of molten metal. The glow illuminated her: vacant expression, eyes glazed over, her little body swaying slightly. She was gazing right down into the vat. "SU!"

All Su did was moan softly, completely unaware of the red panda far below, staring up at her in pure horror.

* * *

Su was scared.

She had every right to be, considering that everything around her was consumed in fire. Charred and destroyed wood and metal formed grotesque shapes silhouetted against the blaze. The flames were so bright and intense she had to squint her eyes.

She looked down into the large well. She saw nothing but darkness.

She didn't look, but she could feel  _her_  presence behind her, feel  _her_  gloved hands gripping her body. Su looked down at the gold coin in her paws, unsure.

"All I need to do is make a wish and throw the coin into the well, right?"

_Yes._

"And then the fire will go away?"

_Yes._

"But what if I fall?"

_Don't worry. I have you._

Su turned her head to look into the eyeholes of the dragon mask. The surrounding flames were reflected off the mask's surface, making it seem as though the mask was on fire itself. The scary image made Su turn away to look back down at the well.

"I don't know…"

_How will you know if you don't try?_

"You're the lady who's scaring Po and Crane. Why should I do what you say?"

_Because if you don't, Tujiu will find me, and then everyone will die._

That's it. Su's decision was made.

Su slowly held the coin out in front of her.

_A little farther. We must make sure the coin goes into the well._

Su looked again at the pit. She winced at the thought of how far down it must go.

_Don't worry. I have a hold on you._

Su gulped as she leaned forward so that her upper half was directly over the pit. Her fingers slowly began to loosen on the coin.

* * *

"NOOOO!"

Thirty feet away, Shifu's heart stopped as Su leaned over the edge. He would never get to her in time.

"NO, SU-"

Something large and covered in brown feathers slammed into Su, pinning her to the ground. Something small skidded across the platform with a metallic clatter.

"Got her!" Master Eagle Jr. shouted, his expression a mixture of pain and relief. His broken wing was still bandaged against his side.

Shifu inhaled sharply, about to reply, when they both froze at the sound of high pitched screaming. Su was screaming and thrashing in Eagle Jr.'s talons, eyes staring at something no-one else could see.

"NO! NOOOOO!"

"Get off her!" Shifu yelled. Eagle Jr. did as he was told, allowing the red panda to rush to Su's side and wrap his arms around her like a bolas.

"Su, it's alright." He spoke into her ear, fighting his own panic at the sight of her extreme distress. "You're safe, it's just a dream…"  
"EMBER! DON'T LET HIM FIND HER!  _DON'T LET THEM FIND HER!_ "

"Su, wake up! You're dreaming!"

"Shifu, give her to me!"

Tigress, whose own powerful hearing had heard Su's screams, leapt onto the high platform at that moment. Shifu quickly let go so Tigress could wrap her larger arms around the cub and pull her against her body.

Like she had done with many other frightened and distressed children, Tigress rubbed Su's shaking back as the cub continued to scream.

"DON'T LET THEM GET HER! EMBER!"

"Su…" Tigress leaned down to shush in Su's ear. "Su, it's okay. It's okay." She spoke softly, like a mother soothing her baby.

Shifu stepped forward and reached up to place a comforting hand on Su's back.

"Su, wake up."

Su's cries began to subside.

"Don't let them find her… don't…" She blinked. "Ember…" She blinked a couple more times.

"Su?"

Shifu looked at Po climbing up onto the platform and running over to them, followed closely by Viper, Crane, Monkey and Mantis.

"Su!" Po yelled and kneeled down beside Tigress. "Tigress, what happened?"

"I don't know. When I got here, Su was on the ground screaming her head off." They both turned their faces to look at Shifu.

"I think she was sleepwalking." Shifu said. Relief flooded through him and he fell back on his hands and rear. Su was safe. They had gotten to her just in time. "Luckily Master Eagle got to her before something serious happened."

"It's Master Eagle Jr." Eagle Jr. said calmly. "And yes, when I overheard that there was a little girl missing, I didn't think twice before joining the search."

"Thank you so much." Viper gasped. She slithered over to Su, who by now had stopped screaming and thrashing completely. "Su, honey, are you okay?"

Su pushed away from Tigress slightly so she could look at the snake.

"Viper?" She asked, her head titled in confusion. "What happened? Where am I?"

"Thank god. Welcome back." Viper gently stroked the fur on Su's head with her tail. "You're in the foundry, honey."

"What am I doing here?"

"It's a long story. We'll tell you in the morning." Viper replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay. I don't feel hot anymore."

Shifu frowned. Now that he thought about it, Su didn't look so pale anymore. Now she was blushing.

"I sleepwalked, didn't I?" She said.

"Yeah, you did." Po laughed at her sheepishness. "Come on, let's get you back to bed."

"Wait! My coin!" Su leapt out of Tigress's arms and ran over to the far corner of the platform. She picked up her coin and walked back over to them.

Something clicked in Shifu's head.

_Wait a minute… last time I saw that medallion, I had picked it up in the secret passage. I had completely forgotten to give it back to her. How could she have gotten it? Unless… wait, my outer robe! She must have unclasped it and retrieved the medallion in her sleep! But why…_

"Hey, Master."

Shifu registered Mantis by his side. The others were still on the platform, sans Tigress and Viper who were currently taking Su back to the center structure.

"What is it, Mantis?"

"We could hear Su screaming from the other building. What the heck was that all about? And who's Ember?"

_Ember._

_The ambassador's journal. The Seal of Yingxiong._

Now it all made sense. If his suspicions were correct about Su's lucky coin and the Seal of Yingxiong being the same artifact, then the key to discovering the fortress's deepest secrets was in their grasp. And the creature in the tomb wasn't pleased. It had sensed that the coin's true nature had been discovered, and tried to have it destroyed rather than let them use it. And risked a little girl's life in the attempt. There was no time to wait for it to strike again. If they were to back off and leave or stay and fight, they had to decide now.

"Master Eagle Jr.… please inform the emperor that I wish to speak with him immediately."


	42. Monster

They were leaving.

The moment Emperor Xian had been told of what had almost happened to Su, his decision was made. In front of Master Shifu, his students, and Master Eagle Jr., he had declared that enough was enough, and the minute the son rose they would have the soldiers pack up everything and go.

Four hours had passed since Su had been saved from falling to her death, and the sun was by now steadily creeping up over the horizon. The vivid sunlight shone through one of the fortress's windows, illuminating the tiger in red as he made his way down through General Tujiu's private mess hall. The vulture had been absent during Xian's declaration, and the emperor thought that personally making sure he knew what was going on should be first priority. He wasn't doing this himself because the kung fu masters were too busy briefing the soldiers of their imminent departure. It wasn't even because Master Eagle Jr. had strained his injured wing saving Su's life.

To be honest, he was doing this because he was very angry.

It wasn't just that he was frustrated at being forced to remain 'safely' inside the fortress while the others ventured out and risked their very lives. When Shifu had told him of the strange words Su had screamed…  _"Ember! Don't let him find her!"_ … his curiosity had instantly been aroused. Of course he had no idea who this 'Ember' person was, but he had a feeling that he knew someone who did.

Who did he know had recently grown a bad habit of keeping secrets? Who had recently sent Colonel Sao to question and spy on a seven year old child genius? Who seemed more interested in discovering the fortress's secrets than getting himself and his soldiers out of this blood mess alive?

Xian knocked on the door of Tujiu's private study. There was no answer, and quick pull on the handle revealed that the door was unlocked. Xian stepped inside to find the room empty.

"Damn." He muttered. A second later he realized that this was a wonderful opportunity.

As General, Tujiu had a habit of recording everything in a personal log that he showed to no-one but Colonel Sao. If there was anything else Tujiu wasn't telling them, it would be in that log. It had to be around here somewhere.

Xian remembered his years as a young prince, being taught on the importance of stealth by Master Shifu himself…

_"The point of stealth is to keep the enemy from ever knowing your were there. One who has perfected the art of stealth will stalk behind enemy lines, complete their mission, and disappear without a trace, no-one any the wiser. I myself have completed ninety-seven stealth based missions previously."_

_"Ninety-seven? That's one mission per year right?"_

_"If I thought that was a poor joke about my age, young man…"_

_"No joke I swear!"_

_"I have forty years experience in kung fu, have put away five hundred and twenty nine criminals to date, several of them smartass clowns like you, so why don't you just zip the lip, Xian?"_

_"Okay."_

Xian chuckled to himself. So much had changed since then.

Back to business. Xian silently shut the door, so it didn't look like anyone was inside; since Tujiu was absent, there shouldn't be. He had to find what he was looking for before the vulture could return, see what he was doing, and try to cover himself.

Within one minute he had found what he was looking for; a single lengthy scroll inside an ornately carved wooden box.

"Right, let's see what you've been hiding." Xian said.

By the time he heard the sound of Tujiu's wings, Xian had learned all he needed to know. He put the scroll back in its box and turned to face the window just as Tujiu flew inside. His eyes widened in surprise as he touched down on the map table.

"Your highness! I didn't expect you."

"Where were you?" Xian asked coolly. "I've been waiting for you."

_Keep calm. If you give him a chance, he may do the right thing and tell you himself._

"I was down in the camp. I was going to give the army some words of encouragement and brief them of the current situation, but Shifu and his students turned up and said that we were leaving this fortress. Is that true, your highness?"

"It is." Xian said. "I have decided that we can no longer stay. You couldn't have waited until you knew my final decision before going off to spit out some stirring speech?"

"I'm sorry, but my men don't like being left out of the loop."

"Neither do I."

"What influenced your decision?"

"Last night, the little girl almost sleepwalked to her death."

"The girl was sleepwalking?" Tujiu looked genuinely surprised, but not genuinely concerned. "I don't mean to question your decision, but don't many children do this?"

"Yes, but this time it was different. Su said something strange during her unconscious state. A name. Ember."

There it was. A look of recognition flashed across Tujiu's face for a millisecond, then it was gone.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

"Er… no. I don't know who this Ember is." Tujiu said.

Xian sighed inwardly. Tujiu may have been at least partly telling the truth there. No mention of Ember had been found in the log. Time to change subject.

"I'll take your word for it, but that's not the reason why I'm here. Masters Po and Tigress tell me that you had Colonel Sao spy on the girl. Why are you so interested in her?"

"Have you seen the way she behaves and thinks?" Tujiu asked. "She's not like other children."

"Of course she isn't, she's a genius!" Xian rolled his eyes.

"Have you not considered the potential she has? The way she learns so much in so little time and uses her knowledge like a grown adult? With an asset like her-"

" _She's not an asset, she's a seven year old kid!_ " Xian exploded.

"And that's what makes her so perfect! Within six months we could completely bend her to our will! The possibilities she could bring us are endless!"

Xian couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was clear as day that the vulture in front of him had lost his mind. His obsession with his own career and his ambition had fully consumed him.

_Enough._

"Silence." Xian growled, silencing the vulture as he started to rave again. "You are not to approach that child again, do you understand me?" There was a steely glint in his brown eyes that made Tujiu flinch, but he wasn't prepared to back down.

"Your highness, you are being unreasonable-"

"And you are off your rocker!" Xian snapped. "I had a little look around in here while you were gone, and I have discovered that you deliberately caused the deaths of nearly one hundred soldiers!"

"Wait a minute."

"You sent them to their deaths!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Tujiu shouted, but Xian wasn't stopping now.

"I just read your log! According to your own log, those one hundred soldiers were the only ones who knew about the existence of the tomb and apparently you couldn't afford to have so many witnesses! You didn't send those men out there to kill a monster, you sent them out there to die!  _Why would you do that, Tujiu?!_ "

"What, you think that just because you're the emperor, no-one would dare betray you?!" Tujiu shouted back. "You and I both know that many would kill to get their hands on the treasure within that tomb! I took steps to make sure we don't have an uprising on our hands!"

"Steps?"

_So you really can see red when you're angry._

That was the last sane thought in Xian's head before he flung himself at Tujiu and pinned him to the table. The vulture's eyes widened in both shock and pain. No more regal elegance. No more Mr. nice emperor. At that moment Xian was a tiger, a tiger who right now was mad as hell.

"STEPS?  _THOSE SOLDIERS HAD FAMILIES, TUJIU! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE HERE?!_ "

He had just enough sense to take his paws off Tujiu's throat and grip the front of his armor instead. He dug his claws into the metal hard enough to puncture.

"Do you have any idea what you have done?" Xian asked, his voice lower but still full of venom. Tujiu merely stared up at the enraged tiger. "You don't, do you? You're insane!" He took several deep breaths as his eyes bore into Tujiu's like daggers. "Well, I'm through with this. I'm through with your lies and your paranoia." He pushed himself off of Tujiu and took a moment to straighten his vest. "I am declaring you unfit for duty. When we get back to China, you are going to stand trial for mass murder. You'd better pray I don't bring back the death penalty."

He stormed out, leaving Tujiu alone with his insanity. He didn't bother looking back to see the vulture's expression.

* * *

When Xian explained what had happened to Shifu and the others an hour later, there was a heavy silence.

"Wow." Po said. Xian didn't respond.

"So… what happens now?" Shifu asked.

"We're still leaving, if that's what you mean." Xian said. "In the meantime, the first thing I want you to do is inform the army that I am now taking charge of this mission. Oh, and if they ask why, just tell them that Tujiu has become unfit for duty. I don't think they'll take kindly to his betrayal if they find out."

"We understand." Shifu said. "Crane, you heard him. Take Monkey and inform the soldiers at once."

Crane and Monkey took off.

"What do we do about Tujiu?" Po asked. "Now that we know he's crazy, shouldn't we lock him up or something?"

"Not yet." Shifu said. "Like the emperor said, no-one else can know that Tujiu betrayed his own army. It may raise some questions if we lock him up without known reason."

"But isn't he dangerous?" Tigress asked.

"Of course he is!" Xian said. "He used his authority to send dozens of men out to their deaths. But now he has lost his position, it will be very difficult for him to abuse that power any longer. Still, keep a close eye on him."

"I'll do the watching." Tigress said, her voice so cold Shifu almost expected the air in front of her to freeze, and he felt his own anger growing. In the midst of trying to destroy a monster, Tujiu had become one himself. There was no excuse for what he had done.

"Just in case, we should confine him to the fortress until everything's packed and ready to go." Xian said. "If he does try anything, you have my permission to de-feather him. That is, unless I get to him first."

Po let out a laugh then slapped his paw over his mouth.

"Sorry, this isn't meant to be funny, is it?"

"No." Shifu replied.


	43. The Concerns of Master Eagle Jr.

"Euuughhh! Ugh!"

"What the hell?" Xian muttered as he approached Eagle Jr.'s door and heard the sound of retching.

When he entered the room, the first thing he saw was a little panda cub holding a large spoon to the eagle's clamped beak. She was standing on a tiny three legged stool at his bedside.

"Come on!" Su scolded. "You need to take your medicine! Now open wide!" She pressed the tip of the spoon to his beak, and Eagle Jr. whipped his head away.

"God, that stuff's vile!" He stuck his tongue out in disgust.  
"Buckle up, you just need to take one more spoonful!" Su said disapprovingly. "Just take the medicine!"

"Why?"

"Because I said so!"

_There she goes again, acting like a mother_ , Xian thought with a grin, and decided to take that moment to make himself known.

"What's going on here? Where's the medic?"

Su shot him a look, the spoon in her paw still pointed in the direction of Eagle Jr.'s mouth.

"The medic's down at the camp." She said matter-of-factly. "One of the soldiers who got injured in the explosion caught a minor infection, and he's too busy taking care of him to give Mister Stubborn Jr. here his medicine!"

"So you're doing it instead?" Xian asked casually.

"Yep. Everyone else has something to do but me, so I thought I'd give Mister Eagle his medicine. But he's refusing to take the last spoonful."

"Because it's flipping disgusting!" The eagle groaned. "Why don't you take it yourself?"

"Because I'm not the one with a broken wing!" Su snapped. "I've read about soldiers actually dying of shock from the pain of their wounds! You need this medicine to dull the pain, now shut up and drink!"

_Uh oh._  Xian's smile vanished. Any fool could see that the girl was beginning to lose her patience. Xian had only twice before seen a child have a temper tantrum and both times it wasn't pretty.

"Er, Master Eagle…"

"Look, the last thing I need right now is a wannabe nurse feeding me poison!"

The moment the words left Eagle Jr.'s beak, both he and Xian knew he was in the wrong, but it was too late to undo the damage. Su's pale cheeks flushed with anger and she stepped from the stool to the side of the bed.

"Wannabe nurse, huh?" Su said slyly. She glanced at Xian then back at Eagle Jr. "Hey Mister, have you ever been embarrassed in front of the emperor before?"

"Not the emperor, no." Eagle Jr. actually looked nervous.

"Well now you do. Let me show you something my mommy used to do." Su held up the spoon. Both men waited for something to happen. And then Su spoke in a sing-song voice, her smile a wicked grin. "Here comes the birdie!"

Eagle Jr.'s eyes bulged. With one wing broken, his body weakened by the effects of the medicine, the eagle was helpless as Su waved the spoon in front of him like a floating hummingbird.

"Here he comes! Yummie, yum yum!"

Xian doubled over and had to slap a paw over his mouth to suppress his laughter.

"Nyummie nymummie, nyum nyum! Nymummie nyummie, nyum nyum!" Su carefully swung the spoon from side to side before again pushing it towards Eagle Jr.'s beak.

"No! Stay away from me!"

The mortified bird desperately tried to back away, but the other side of the bed was pushed against a wall. Su climbed onto his feathered stomach and began moving upwards towards his chest.

"S-Su, what are you d-doing?" Xian stuttered from snickering so hard.

"If he insists on acting like a kid, then I'm gonna treat him like one!" Su grinned.

"No! Get away!" Eagle Jr. pleaded. Su ignored him. She was having way too much fun. She sat down on his diaphragm, and once more pushed the spoon towards his beak.

"Su, Shifu's going to be here in a couple a minutes." Xian said.

"I'll just tell him Mister Eagle Jr.'s being a stubborn doofus." She turned back to her victim. "This would have all been over by now! Now are you gonna catch the birdie or do I hafta dump it on your head?"

"Alright! Fine!" Fuming, Eagle Jr. slowly opened wide, allowing the child to pour the contents of the spoon down his throat. Eagle Jr. retched and jerked his head to lean over the bed. The motion was so sudden the spoon was sent flying from his beak.

"There, that wasn't so hard now, was it?" Su said. She climbed down from the bed, and pulled the covers back over the eagle. "Get settled, and I'll ask Mr. Di Tan to make you some soup."

"Lovely." Eagle Jr. muttered.

Suddenly Su's smile vanished.

"I'm sorry." She said softly. "I crossed a line. I shouldn't have done that."

"H-hang on a sec, I'm not mad at you!" Eagle Jr. yelped when he saw the cub's expression. "That medicine's the most disgusting substance I have ever ingested!"

"Well it's not gonna kill you, is it?" Su asked. "Get some rest and I'll bring you some soup." On her way out she bowed to Xian. "Good evening, Mr. Emperor."

"Good evening, Su." Xian replied. "How's your knee?"

"It's good. Thank you for asking." Su replied. The devious look in her eyes was gone. She had a small smile that for some reason appeared false. "Is there anything you need?"

"No, I just wanted to inform Eagle Jr. of the current situation." Xian said. "Run along, now."

Su bowed again and left the room.

Xian chuckled and sat down on the stool.

"She's getting a mean streak." He said.

"Remind me to have a word with Monkey and Mantis about the importance of good influence once I get out of this room."

Xian's teeth clenched with silent laughter. His heart felt lighter than it had been in years. After his heated encounter with Tujiu earlier this morning, Su had really made his day.

"So, what brings you to my little slice of boredom?" Eagle Jr. asked.

"I thought I'd inform you that we're almost ready for departure. We'll be leaving in the morning."

"Oh goody. And I'll be forced to walk the whole bloody way."

"Oh hush." Xian said. "It's not all that bad. After all the hell we've been through these past few days, the Dragon Warrior thought we could lift each other's spirits with a little campfire in the fortress courtyard."

"A campfire?" Eagle Jr. rolled his eyes. "Great. Save me a seat."

"Come on, it'll be like old times!" Xian placed a paw on Eagle Jr.'s uninjured shoulder. "The night before a mission… roasting nuts over the flames… telling each other stories…"

"Right after you slip a plate of sticky honey onto my seat right before I sit down, right?"

"Right."

"Fine. But no honey."

"No honey. This time it will be good old fashioned glue."

"If you weren't the emperor, I'd punch your shoulder."

"You two haven't changed a bit." With a smirk, Shifu entered the room at that very moment and bowed to Xian before speaking further. "Where is Su?"

"She just left to get some soup. Why?"

"I want her to remain with Viper and Crane until we leave this fortress. I do not want her wandering around this building by herself."

"Are you worried she may start sleepwalking again?"

"Not exactly." Shifu adjusted his grip on his staff. "Three times. Three times one of us has been assaulted by mysterious forces in this fortress. All three incidents have occurred at night. What with tonight being our last night in this place, I am afraid that something even worse will happen."

"Hey, relax!" Eagle Jr. said. "Whatever's playing mind tricks on us is obviously trying to scare us into leaving. Why would it attack us again if we're doing what it wants?"

Shifu sighed.

"You're right. We should stick to the plan and-"

"I'm back!"

"Gah!" Shifu gasped in surprise as Su materialized behind him, holding two bowls of soup. "Su, don't sneak up on people like that!"

"Sorry. Here's your soup, Master Eagle Jr.!" Su walked across the room and placed one bowl on the bedside table. Eagle Jr. hesitated before grabbing it. "Don't worry, it wasn't made by a wannabe cook to be fed to a wannabe warrior."

"Hey, I'm sorry, alright." Eagle Jr. scowled. "I shouldn't have that earlier. It was wrong."

"That's okay. Here's your soup, Mr. Emperor." Su handed Xian the other bowl. "Di Tan said you hadn't eaten since last night."

"That's right. Thank you."

"Su, go spend some time with Crane and Viper. They should be in the library." Shifu said.

"Okay, Master." Su saluted the red panda and departed.

Shifu turned to his two former students.

"Care to explain what her wannabe comment was all about?"

Xian snickered.

"Master Shifu, it is a long story that begins with-"

"Xian…" Eagle Jr. said ominously. "If you say one more word I will tell the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five everything about you from when you were seventeen…"

"Sorry, Master, my lips are sealed!" Xian quickly said.

Shifu shook his head.

"I need to go check on Tujiu, make sure he's still in his office. I will leave you two to your meals." He turned to the door.

"Wait, Master, I want a word with you." Eagle Jr. said. "How is your student, Monkey doing?"

Shifu turned back round.

"He's been quiet since I forced the truth out of him the other day. Why?"

Eagle Jr. paused.

"Is he usually this quiet?"

"No. What are you getting at, Eagle Jr.?"

"Look, I know how it feels to lose someone you care about. It can either soften you or harden you beyond recognition."

Suddenly the room was quiet. The humor in Xian's eyes were gone, as was Shifu's exasperation.

"Are you talking about what happened in the Hondan Province?" Shifu asked quietly.

"Yes. Let me tell you something. Back then I wasn't exactly the best of men. After my mother died giving birth to my brother I rebelled against everything and anything, especially my father. When my father told me to stop getting in bar-fights, I would get in street fights. When he wanted me go to the Jade Palace I flew off to the nearest abandoned house to do whatever the hell I wanted. My brother followed me… and so did half a dozen hyenas." His eyes hardened. "You remember when my father slew the hyena bandits with the Blade of Baoding? Well, those that were left spotted me enter the building and decided to get payback. I saw them coming and made out through the back. My brother on the other hand…"

Xian tightened his grip on his bowl of soup.

"If I hadn't rejected kung fu I would have been able to save him. That's what I told myself as I stood over his grave. That and I made a promise to bring his killers to justice. After two years of training with my father, I was strong enough to track the bandits down and send them to a nice tidy prison."

"Good for you." Shifu said.

"However, prison guards are easy to bribe. They escaped two days later." Eagle Jr. downed the rest of his soup in one gulp. "That was the last straw for me, so I left home and fulfilled my father's wish to go to the Jade Palace."

"But?" Xian asked quietly.

"But I had made a promise to my brother…" Eagle Jr. fiddled with his spoon, which at that moment looked like a spearhead. "And once I tracked those bandits down again I kept it."

There was a heavy silence. Xian set down his now stone cold soup.

"And you point is?" Shifu asked.

"My point is that when it comes to grief and revenge, even the nicest guy can turn dark and dangerous. Do me a favor and keep an eye on Monkey for me, okay?"

* * *

Po was the first to arrive at the spot in the courtyard where they would have their campfire. In his arms was the firewood he had collected from the kitchen, though he couldn't figure out where they got wood in a massive forestless mountain range.

He gazed at his surroundings. The nearest people were at the far side of the courtyard, and the sun was sinking below the horizon. Po huffed and set to work.

He formed a small circle of stones on the paved ground and set up a pile of wood. He added the kindling and had just struck a match when he spotted a striped feeling slowly walking towards him.

"Hey, Po."

"Hi, Tigress." Po said softly, and turned his attention back to the firewood without another word. He and Tigress hadn't spoken properly to each other since last night. Even now he felt a certain gap between them.

"Is everything almost ready?" She asked. She sounded just as nervous as he was. He wasn't sure why.

"Yup. I just need to YOWCH!" Po dropped the burned down match and sucked on his singed fingers.

"Po!" Tigress stepped around the firewood. "Are you okay?"

"Yup I ud muf worsfe." Po replied, his fingers still in his mouth.

"I beg your pardon?"

Po pulled his paw out his mouth.

"I said I had much worse." He said. "Uh, what are you doing here?"

"You invited us all down to a campfire, remember?" Tigress replied and crossed her arms. "Are you still mad?"

"What, you mean about last night?" Po was distracted from sucking on his fingers again. "Nah, I'm not mad, what makes you think I'm mad?"

"Well, I did overreact and spill hot tea on your bean buns." Tigress broke eye contact out of shame.

"What bean buns?" Po blinked in confusion. "I don't remember us having bean buns last night."

"Not  _real_  bean buns, I meant-" Tigress stopped herself just in time and blushed. "N-never mind. I'm sorry for my earlier behavior."

"Nah, don't be." Po waved it away. "It was my own darn fault for bringing up you and Shifu." He remembered the night before. On his way back to his room he had been silently berating himself non-stop for bringing up such a sensitive subject.

"What is it with you?" Tigress asked suddenly.

"Huh?"

"Why do you  _insist_  on forgiving every single thing I do to you? I scalded your privates for crying out loud!" She was practically glaring at him at this point.

"Hey, it's better than holding a grudge and ruining everything I've worked for."

"Huh?"

"Do you have any idea how hard it was to get you to like me?"

Tigress's eyes widened and she looked away. Po realized what he had said.

"Hey, I didn't mean it like-"

"Hey, Po!"

Po felt two pairs of tiny feet land on his shoulder.

_Darn it, Mantis!_

"Po, how come the fire's not lit?" Mantis asked.

"Because I haven't had a chance to." Po replied through gritted teeth.

"I'll do it." Tigress spoke up. "Pass me the matches, Po."

As she took the matches and knelt before the wood pile, Po turned his head to look at Mantis. The bug pursed his lips nervously at the panda's expression.

"What did I do?"

Po lowered his voice so Tigress wouldn't hear.

"What part of 'don't interrupt when I try to apologize to Tigress for bringing up the father daughter thing' did you not understand?"

"Oh. You said that before you left. Right. Sorry."


	44. Hellfire

That night, the dark mountain was speckled with glowing orange dots of the army's campfires, surrounded by grim faced soldiers as they conversed and roasted nuts, waiting anxiously for the morning when they would finally leave this accursed place.

Out of all the glowing dots, only one flickered within the boundaries of the fortress of White Fortitude. In the stone courtyard, nearly a dozen figures surrounded it, filled with slightly higher spirits.

"Here you go! Tsampa all around!" With a wave of his ladle, Di Tan filled eleven freshly washed china bowls with an unusual yellowish substance.

"Uhhh… Di Tan?" Xian lifted his spoon to his nose and sniffed cautiously. Opposite the campfire, Po was already digging in with an ecstatic look in his eyes. "What exactly is this?"

"I told you, it's Tsampa!" Di Tan gave the tiger a light tap on this nose with the ladle for his ignorance. "A popular dish in this region! I've always wanted to prepare it!"

"This stuff's awesome!" Po lifted his face for a brief moment to reveal a yellow mustache. "What's in it?"

"Cooked barley meal, tea and butter." Di Tan replied with pride. "Not as disgusting as it sounds."

"I'm surprised you're so cheery after everything that's happened." Shifu gave Di Tan a knowing look. "How much will this cost?"

"Well, how much to you have?" Di Tan cocked an eyebrow. A second later he burst out laughing. "I'm only joking, it's on the house!"

"Hmmm." Shifu said gruffly and returned to his meal. "I prefer noodle soup."

"Very well, you can make it yourself." Di Tan said sharply, having obviously taken offence.

"Master Shifu, don't be mean." Su said reproachingly, from his right side. "He read the recipe scroll for two hours to make sure he got it right. Mr. Di Tan, it tastes really nice."

"It looks and tastes like vomit." Shifu muttered under his breath. Di Tan heard him.

"Well at least it's freshly cooked puke!" He snapped.

"And it has barley instead of carrots." Su added. That got a laugh from the entire group, and a pair of red cheeks from Shifu.

"Good one, Su!" Mantis chortled. "Me and Monkey are gonna hafta write that one down!"

Monkey remained silent, his eyes on the fire.

Xian leaned slightly towards the sulking Eagle Jr.

"What did I tell you?" He murmured with a grin. "Just like old times."

"In the old times, you were a prince, I was your arch rival, and there wasn't a ten foot monster on the loose."

"Oh lighten up, or I'll mess up your other wing."

Xian turned his head back to face the rest of the group.

"Don't mind him, he hates being stuck on the ground." He said. "Did you know that when I first came to the Jade Palace to train, he had recently broken his wing in a training accident? He was in such a bad mood that at first it was impossible for us to get along."

"You forgot to mention that the accident was your bloody fault." Eagle Jr. said. Xian gave him a half-hearted look of annoyance.

"Did you get into any fights?" Po asked eagerly.

"It's a kung fu temple, of course we got into fights!" Xian replied. "Anyway, the day after his wing healed, we got into a proper sparring contest. I thought for sure I was going to tan his hide."

"It was written all over your stripey face." Eagle Jr. added, with the slightest hint of a smile. "Anyway, it was a bad day, the day we sparred. I had a bad dream the night before, and it was still fresh in my mind. The moment the gong rang, Xian started wisecracking. He was taunting me, and not doing a very good job of it."

Shifu fought against a smile as he remembered the frequent bad jokes and puns he had endured while Xian had trained at the palace. Eagle Jr. continued speaking.

"I wasn't in the mood for someone else's-"

" _Ssss_!" Viper hissed and jerked her head in Su's direction.

"-stupidity, so I finished the spar quickly."

Xian mimed a sharp punch to the skull.

"When the little smart mouth currently sitting next to me came to, I thought for sure he was going to start whining like a spoilt little rich kid. Instead, he just laughed. Said it was about time someone knocked some sense into him. We went to a tavern in the village, talked, got to know each other properly, and that was that."

"What was what?" Po asked.

"After that little incident, we stopped wanting to kill each other."

"Oh."

"What happened after you finished your training at the palace?" Tigress asked.

"When it was time for me to return to the Imperial City, I offered Eagle Jr. a position as my personal bodyguard." Xian said.

"It wasn't a difficult decision." Eagle Jr. said. "The alternative was returning to my hometown, and there's nothing there but bad memories."

"What bad memories?" Po started to ask, but at the moment Shifu grunted, as if to tell the panda to cut the question short.

"So, did you and Eagle Jr. go on many missions during your stay in the Valley?" Crane asked.

"Oh sure. Nowhere near as many as the famous Furious Five, but we've had our fair share of near death experiences." Xian said. "Remember the Hajin Province, Eagle Jr.?"

"Of course."

Xian took the last spoonful from his bowl before speaking.

"A couple of years after we became friends, the Iron Fist of Justice was…"

"The Iron Fist of Justice!" Po suddenly yelled. "You mean the Iron Fist of Justice the blacksmith Jin Hu forged after his right hand was cut off by marauding bandits?"

"Yes, that Iron Fist of Justice." Xian replied, a little taken aback. Shifu closed his eyes in embarrassment.

"Please forgive Po, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of kung fu folklore. That and he is a big fan." He said.

"Right." Xian said. "As I was saying, the Iron Fist of Justice was one day stolen from the Hall of Warriors by a gang of bandits. I, Eagle Jr., and a third kung fu master were sent to retrieve it. Let's just say our confidence got the better of us."

"In other words, we got ambushed." Eagle Jr. added bluntly.

"Yes. At first, they were just going to kill us, but when they discovered I was the crown prince, they changed their minds and decided to hold me and the others for ransom." Xian said.

"Who warned them that that was the worst idea ever?" Eagle Jr. asked.

"You did, if I remember correctly." Xian replied. "Luckily we managed to figure out that the Fist was located in the head honcho's tent before we got chained to a tree."

"How did you escape?" Viper asked.

"Comrade number three got the brilliant idea to use one of my feathers to pick the lock on our chains. We unchained ourselves, retrieved the Fist, and pummeled the bandits into the dust." Eagle Jr. said.

"Of course when we got back, Shifu gave us a tongue lashing for not mastering patience." Xian said. "Not only that, he made us all clean the training hall with nothing but our tails."

"Sadistic little furball." Eagle Jr. muttered. Shifu overheard, but merely smirked.

"Okay, that's enough about us." Xian said with a wave of his paw. "Po, why don't you tell me and my friends about how you became the Dragon Warrior? The most I've ever heard is that you somehow fell out of the sky in a ball of fire, and I have always desired to learn the whole story."

"Huh? Oh sure!" Po scraped off the remaining contents of his bowl with his finger. "Well, Mr. Emperor, it was-"

"Please call me Xian. Titles don't really mean much around here."

"Okay… Xian, it was like this: I was just doing my usual waitering in my dad's restaurant when a group of palace servants pasted a totally awesome poster on the wall…"

When Po finished, second helpings of Tsampa were served and the conversation moved on to a topic that almost everyone knew best: kung fu techniques. After ten minutes Xian excused himself to take a bathroom break and returned to the fortress.

When he emerged from the bathroom in his bedroom, he wasn't surprised to find a certain red panda standing by one of the three ornate chairs in the room, waiting for him.

Xian sighed.

"It's alright. No-one else is around. We can talk."

He gestured for Shifu to take a seat. The three chairs were all surrounding a small table. The emperor and the grandmaster sat opposite each other. For a moment, no-one talked.

"You go first." Xian said.

"I will repeat my earlier question." Shifu said. "Why did you have gunpowder kegs intended for cannons inside the storage building?"

"First of all, it wasn't my idea." Xian said. "I was not aware that Tujiu had brought powder kegs with him. When I questioned him, he said it was in case of large obstacles."

"But you knew that the Imperial Army is planning on mass producing Shen's cannon." Shifu said, almost accusingly.

"Look, I know how this looks. But before I say anything more, I want you to swear that you will not tell anyone about what I am about to tell you without my permission. Swear, Shifu."

"I swear."

"Good." Xian rubbed his arms. It was a cold night and he had left the window open. "Do you remember that after Lord Shen was defeated, you and the Master's Council rounded up his remaining forces and incarcerated them?"

Shifu nodded.

"Well, a few days after you and your students returned to the Valley of Peace, Eagle Jr. travelled to Gongmen City and interrogated the wolves. You see, Shen obviously had to have had a base of operations to build his cannon prior to invading the city, and we needed to recover the plans for the cannon before someone else did."

"Did the wolves talk?"

"Yes. But when the army reached the fortress, they were too late. Someone had beaten us to it. They're probably mass producing the cannon as we speak."

Shifu shuddered at the thought.

"So that's why you're making cannons yourself." The red panda said. "To make sure you're evenly matched should this enemy attempt an invasion." Xian nodded. "How are you able to build cannons without the plans?"

"When a few of the cannons were fished from Gongmen Harbor, they were in good enough condition to analyze. The cannon's design is actually simpler than it looks." Xian said. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. If word got out that the most deadly mechanical weapon ever built had fallen into the wrong hands, it would cause a panic."

"I understand." Shifu said. "Thank you for being honest."

"Now my turn." Xian said, almost looking relieved that he had gotten the information off his chest. "Is there anything you learned about this fortress since we last spoke?"

"As a matter of fact, there is." Shifu stood up. "Come with me."

A few minutes later, Xian was intensely scanning the scrolls that made up the ambassador's journal one by one.

"Ember…" He whispered. "Who the hell is Ember?"

"According to this ambassador, she's some sort of 'Dragon Empress'." Shifu said. "I don't recall such a person ever being recorded in the Jade Palace library."

"Because she wasn't recorded." Xian said, remembering the many hours he had spent in the library after maturing somewhat. "It makes you wonder just what kind of person she was."

"Indeed."

"There is something else that bothers me." Xian said. "The Ambassador talks about some sort of key called the Seal of Yingxiong. Its description sounds a lot like Su's lucky coin. You don't think that…"

"The Seal of Yingxiong and Su's coin are the same?" Shifu said. "Yes, I do."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Remember when Su fell through that secret door and injured herself? Well, she lost her coin in the process. I found it a few minutes later, and I admit that I had forgotten to give it back to her. To get to the point, right before I discovered she was missing, my robe had been unclasped and the coin was gone."

Xian remembered what Shifu had told him, of the sight of the half-conscious Su leaning over the vat of molten metal with coin in hand, and his heart skipped a beat.

"You mean…"

"This entity wasn't trying to manipulate Su into killing herself. It was trying to manipulate her into destroying the Seal."

"Son of a…" Xian whispered. "What the hell is going on around here?"

"I don't know, and I don't care." Shifu said gruffly. "In the morning we will be on our way out of here, away from all this madness. This fortress and its secrets are not worth dying over."

"I know that." Xian sighed. "You're right. Let's just stuff these scrolls back under the bed and pretend they never existed."

"Good idea. Then we can head back before Po scoffs all the third helpings." Shifu said.

"Is he always so obsessed with food?"

"Yes."

They put the Ambassador's journal back where they had found it just as the door opened and Tigress stepped into the room.  
"Tigress, what are you-" Shifu stopped himself when he saw the sleeping panda cub in her arms. "She fell asleep while Di Tan was telling a story." She said softly.

"Was it the one with the river, the silver wok and the gold wok?" Xian asked.

"I think so."

"No wonder she went out like a light." Xian smirked. "Don't tell him I said that."

"She wasn't the only one." Tigress said. Shifu's eyes widened when he saw the praying mantis lying flat on Su's stomach. "Luckily Di Tan didn't seem to take offense."

Shifu chuckled.

"Will you be heading back outside?"

"No, I'm on the verge of passing out myself." Tigress replied.

"Good, then you can stay with Su, tonight. I am not having her left on her own after what happened to her."

"Very well, Master."

"Take her to your room, and we'll see you in the morning. Good night, Tigress."

"Goodnight, Master." Something in Tigress's eyes indicated to Shifu that she suspected that he and Xian had just been talking about something secret. Instead of inquiring, she merely turned and left the room with Su in her arms.

It wasn't until Shifu and Xian returned to the entrance hall that either of them spoke again.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to let the Seal remain with the girl?" Xian asked. "If the entity tries to manipulate her again…"

"It won't." Shifu replied. Xian raised his eyebrows.

"What makes you so sure?"

"The only reason the attempted destruction of the Seal came so close to success was because none of us suspected what the entity would try to do." Shifu said. "Now that we know, and we are taking precautions, I doubt it will make a second attempt."

"But if it wants the Seal destroyed…"

"Only if it thinks we're a threat." Shifu replied. "In case you hadn't noticed, things have calmed down since you decided that we were leaving. That may mean that the entity is willing to leave us alone as long as  _we_  leave  _it_ alone."

"'May mean'? You're risking our lives on a 'may mean'?"

"Well, what do you suggest we do? Lead an all out assault on this fortress and hope that no-one else gets killed?"

"That's not what I-"

" _What did you mean then?!_ "

Xian shut his mouth. Shifu sighed. He had been wrong to snap, and he knew it.

"I'm sorry." He said. "But you're right. I don't know if doing nothing will improve our situation. But right now, I don't know what else to do."

There was a small pause.

"In that case, we'll just, as you put it, 'do nothing.'" Xian said. "Come on, let's get back to the camp before all the Tsampa's gone."

Shifu struggled to hide his dismay as they exited the fortress and made their way back to the campfire.

* * *

Crane had to admit, Viper looked rather nice in her 'coat'.

All the same, the sight of her wasn't enough to distract him from the chilly breeze that assaulted his bare head. God, he missed his hat.

"Don't worry about it, Crane, you'll be able to get a new hat once we get back to the Valley." Viper said suddenly. It was if she had read his mind.

"How did you-" He started.

"You've just put your head beneath your wing."

Crane pulled his head back upright. He had been so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed.

"Sorry." He muttered.

"Oh, don't be." Viper giggled at his embarrassment. "You know what, when I get back to the Valley, I'm going to replace my flower decorations with purple ones. I've always wanted to wear something purple, but I've always been a little worried that it wouldn't suit me."

_Purple._

If only she knew that, hidden in a small box in Po and Crane's room, was a snake-sized purple jeweled choker with her name engraved on it.

"When I get back, I'm going to learn how to make Tsampa!" Po patted his bulging full stomach in contentment. "You know, I actually had a bad feeling about this mission when we first came here, but all things considered… it could have been a lot worse."

"Emperor Xian! Grandmaster Shifu!" Di Tan bowed respectfully as the two returned to their seats. "Don't worry, there's still plenty of fresh puke to go around!"

Shifu's ears flattened against his head. That goose could go to  _hell_.

Suddenly his ears flicked back up.

"Did you just hear a strange sound just now?" He asked.

"Huh? Nope, nothing?" Crane replied.

"Me neither." Po replied. "Shifu, are you okay?"

Shifu was staring at the ground, looking uncharacteristically anxious.

 _I definitely heard something_ , he thought.  _A wet, crunching sound, the sound of something hard punching through something soft like… like…_

_Oh god no…_

"It came from the army camp!" He shot up to his feet. "I'm going to see what's going on!"

"Wait, hang on a mo'!" Po shouted as he and the others got up and ran after Shifu as he rushed to the gate.

The closer he got to the camp, the greater the dread in his gut grew as he ran down the path towards the camp.

"Go back to the fortress, all of you!" He shouted to his pursuers. "Do as you're-"

"Grandmaster Shifu!"

Shifu almost collided with a panicked soldier.

"Grandmaster…" The soldier gasped. "What are you… did you hear…"

"What?!" Shifu demanded, a small commotion occurring behind him as the others caught up. "What happened?"

"In the medical tent…"

"What is going on?" Xian pushed himself in front of Shifu.

"The medic… he…" The soldier threw up on the spot.

"Show me!" Xian ordered.

The soldier wiped his mouth and did as ordered, leading the group into the camp. A small crowd had formed around the medical tent.

"Let us through!" Shifu and Xian pushed their way through the crowd and into the tent.

Several seconds passed.

They stepped out again, their expressions grim.

"What happened, Master?" Mantis asked.

"He's dead." Shifu glanced at Monkey for a split second. "Stalactite through the chest."

There was a horrified silence. Po in particular looked gutted. Monkey went completely stiff.

"So the Yeti was trying to trick us after-" SMACK!

Po was cut off mid-sentence by a scaled tail striking him across the face.

"Ow!" Po held a paw to his reddening cheek. "What was that for?"

"That's for saying it could have been a lot worse!" Viper shouted. Her azure eyes were very wet.

"Why are you getting mad at  _him_?" Xian growled, making everyone turn toward him. His eyes were tea colored slits, paws clenched so tightly his claws were piercing his pads. "Because it's always  _his_  fault, isn't it? Have you all forgotten that  _I'm_  the reason we're in this mess?!"

Shifu gave him a stern look.

"That's not true, and you know it."

Xian did not reply. He merely uncurled his fists and silently examined the damage.

Suddenly Mantis spoke.

"Guys… where's Monkey?"

* * *

_They said it may be hiding out in some old ruins. The lotka paper lantern is proof of that._

Monkey held onto those thoughts as he swung through one of the high windows of the left hand tower. All the salvaged weapons, supplies, and more had been moved into the massive warehouse, and so the warehouse was his first stop.

The armory section of the tower was so extensive that it took him a few minutes to find what he was looking for: a crossbow, and not just any crossbow: it was a Zhuge Crossbow, or 'repeating crossbow'. Instead of having to fire, and then pull back the string to load another arrow, this particular crossbow used a 'magazine' which could carry up to ten arrows at once. By simply pulling a lever at the back of the weapon, the user could simply reload the crossbow after firing without the need to pull back the stiff string.

Of course, this by itself would not be enough to bring down the Yeti, but if he somehow managed to pierce the skin, the poison the individual arrowheads had been dipped in would finish the job for him. It was more than the monster deserved.

This time, the Yeti had gone too far. This latest attack, the murder of a medic in the same manner as his father, was the final factor in Monkey's decision. He was going to kill the monster or die trying. For the Furious Five, who stood by him even after his lies had been revealed. For Po, who had come so close to death at the Yeti's hands. For Su, who out of all of them had been endangered the most. For his father, who never made it home to his family.

Monkey filled a small bag with crossbow magazines before travelling to the supplies section. There, he filled his travel pack with the basic essentials: food, water, a spare change of clothes, enough to last three weeks. If hunting down the monster would take that long.

He was sure that no-one had noticed him leave, to pre-occupied by the sudden horrific event. But now several minutes had passed. By now, they would have noticed and started looking. He had to get out while he could.

But first he needed to make one more stop.

Hoisting his travel pack over his shoulders. Monkey leapt through the same window he had entered through and made his way into the main building. In next to no time, he was in his guestroom, strapping his father's dao swords to his pack. With luck, he would be able to succeed where his father had failed and plunge both blades into the monster's vile heart.

He heard voices coming close. Mantis. Shifu. Po.

"I'm sorry, guys." Monkey whispered.

He put on his travel pack, opened the window and fled through it.

* * *

Po, Shifu and Mantis burst into the guestroom. Just as they had feared, the dao swords were gone. Thick curtains fluttered in the open window.

"We're too late." Shifu growled.

"Aw, Monkey…" Po sank to his knees. "You stupid big-cheeked moron…"

"Where do you want to start looking for him, Master?" Mantis asked, his eyes unusually wide.

"I…" Shifu leaned his forehead against his staff. "I don't know."

His students stared at him like he had lost his mind. And then Tigress entered the room, looking tired and confused as hell.

"What's going on here?" She asked.

When they told her, her fur turned pale.

"The medic's dead?" She whispered. "And Monkey's… oh god, that idiot."

"So, I guess we're not going to be leaving any time soon." Po said softly.

"No." Shifu said. "That monster was never going to let us leave alive."

"I can't believe it lied like that." Po got back to his feet, looking angrier than the lot of them put together. "And we fell for it like fools."

"It wasn't foolishness, it was hope." Shifu said. "Do not blame yourselves."

"What do you want us to do, Master?" Tigress asked.

"You go back to the other room and keep Su safe. Po, Mantis, gather the others and wait for me outside the entrance doors."

"Wait, where are you going?" Po asked.

"I'm going to pay Tujiu a visit." Shifu replied. "He may be a madman, but he needs to know what has happened."

He took off before his students could reply.

In next to no time he was striding through the ex-general's private mess hall. As he approached the door to Tujiu's quarters, the door opened and the vulture stepped out. His feathers were ruffled and his eyes were harder than usual as he turned his gaze to the red panda.

"What is happening, Shifu?" Tujiu demanded. "I could see some sort of commotion from my window."

"One of the medics has been murdered." Shifu said.

"Good god! Really?!" Tujiu was being sarcastically over-reactive, and they both knew it.

"I'd watch the attitude if I were you." Shifu growled. "He was one of your own men."

"I tried to warn you that the creature would never let you leave."

"So you did, and it seems you were right. Don't think this changes anything for you, though. This fortress is now your prison, and until this crisis is over it is going to stay that way."

"Fair enough. Do you think I could join in on your little meeting? Just to observe?"

Shifu glared at the vulture. Tujiu seemed a little too content with the current situation.

"If you keep your mouth shut, I don't see why not." Shifu eventually said. "Come along."

"In a moment, Shifu." Tujiu said. "Colonel Sao is still in my study. I only came out to greet you when I heard you coming. I still need to brief him on what has just happened."

"Be quick." Shifu said. Tujiu stepped back into his office, where Colonel Sao was still sitting at the map table.

"I overheard you and the grandmaster talking outside." Sao said. Everything about his face but his smoldering eyes was neutral. "So, I take it we're staying here."

Tujiu nodded. Sao slammed his fist on the table in frustration.

"Damn it!" He snapped. "Just when I thought I would get away from this fricking place!"

"Now, now, Sao." Tujiu put a wing on Sao's shoulder. "In case you haven't noticed, we have a great opportunity on our hands."

Sao glared at the vulture incredulously.

"Opportunity, you call it?" The Tibetan fox asked.

"This Yeti appears to be an indiscriminate killer." Tujiu replied calmly. " _Anyone_  could be next."

"Anyone?"

"I'll explain later. Dismissed."

Sao gave Tujiu one more suspicious look before exiting the study, passing Grandmaster Shifu with a curt nod, and disappearing through the far door of the private mess hall. Tujiu stepped out a moment later and returned to Shifu's side.

"Sorry for the wait." Tujiu said. "Shall we?"

Shifu harrumphed. They started walking through the mess hall in the direction of the far door.

There was a flash of red.

The entire far wall was suddenly ablaze.

The farthest tables exploded into fireballs.

The far door melted into the flaming wall and disappeared.

In the midst of it all, a black slender shape slowly stalked towards them.

_What?_

The inferno seemed to be following the figure's footsteps. The closer she became, the closer the inferno.

Tables burst into flame, were tossed around the room by invisible hands, smashed into fiery pieces against the walls.

They couldn't fight it. The heat was too much.

They backed away, as the fire and its master slowly approached.

Then their backs hit the wall.

They felt the wall behind them begin to crumble as something unimaginably powerful began to push at it. At them. The pressure on their chests was agonizing.

Then the demon pushed once more with its power, and the wall, the red panda, and the vulture were flying, across the now blazing study, through the outer wall.

A fireball the size of a house followed them as they plummeted towards the courtyard below.


	45. Treachery

_One hour earlier._

It was over.

In a matter of hours, they would all be on their way out of the mountains, leaving the fortress behind and the operation in tatters.

If only that pampered fool Xian hadn't found that bloody log… if only Tujiu had found a better hiding spot…

It was too late now. No point in wishing he had done something different. The way he saw it, Tujiu had two options: remain in confinement and eventually be persecuted and imprisoned for life, or flee and spent the rest of his life being hunted like a common criminal. If there was a third option, he would have to have it advised to him.

"Good thing he didn't find this." Tujiu muttered as he pulled open the secret drawer concealed in the side of the map table and pulled out a small mirror rimmed with bronze. It was no ordinary mirror. It was one of those magical artifacts known as a Mirror of Communication. Unlike other artifacts, there was no one mirror. They were said to be scattered all over China; apparently there was even a pair located Gongmen City.

Tujiu walked to the door of his study, opened it, poked his head out and checked that the coast was clear. The private mess hall was empty. He shut the door and moved to the center of the room.

He hated doing this. That woman was a demon among mortals. Not only was she one of the most despised people he ever had the misfortune to meet, she was also one of the few people who scared him.

He held the mirror out in front of him and concentrated.

The mirror's rim flashed for several seconds, and then the aged vulture in the mirror's reflection disappeared, replaced with the beautiful but harsh face of a jet black panther with eyes like flawless amethysts.

Tujiu took a deep breath, decided that he was going to regret this, and spoke.

"Good evening, Lady Hei nuwang." He said in the most casual manner possible. "Why, you look just as lovely as ever."

"Oh god, don't waste my time with that crap." The panther in the mirror replied icily. "We call on you when we want you… not the other way around. You  _better_  have a good reason for interrupting my evening meal."

Tujiu suddenly realized that she was holding what looked like a bird's heart between her fingers.

"Oh! Um, er, my apologies." Tujiu stammered.  _Make it quick._  "I disposed of all the soldiers who knew of the existence of the tomb, like you told me to-"

"Have you acquired the sarcophagus yet?" Her expression told him she already knew the answer.

"Almost, but there's been an unexpected… setback."

"Have you been exposed?" Hei nuwang suddenly snapped.

"No! No, the emperor has discovered that I have been killing off my men, and he has decided that I am no longer fit for duty. I no longer have control of the operation." Tujiu closed his eyes for a moment, remembering the moment when Emperor Xian had officially ruined his life. "My lady, I need the order's assistance to bring the situation back into our favor-"

"We don't risk the order's exposure by directly involving ourselves in these situations, that's what we have inside men for." Hei nuwang interjected with flashing dark eyes. "You got yourself into this mess, you can get yourself out. You wouldn't be difficult to replace, Tujiu. The imperial army is full of goons who would murder their best friend for your position. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes, Lady Hei nuwang." Tujiu replied. The panther's image disappeared. "Witch."

_So much for that._

Fuming, he stalked the window and peered down into the courtyard, where the people who had made everything go so wrong were all gathered around a glowing orange campfire.

He would get them back for this, he vowed. But first he had to find a way to keep them from leaving. It was crucial that everyone stayed long enough for him to find a way to remove the sarcophagus from the tomb and prepare it for delivery.

But that was impossible now. By now, he had figured out that the Yeti and its mistress wanted them all gone; it wasn't lying when it said it would allow them to leave. Come sunrise, the fortress would be empty, the spirit of Ember left undisturbed, and there was nothing he could do about it.

He glared down at the campfire below in hatred, eyes eventually falling on the silhouette of Master Monkey, who had lost his father to the Yeti in such a gruesome way.

Tujiu's eyes widened as he got an idea.

There was no way he himself could convince the emperor, the army, and the kung fu warriors to stay.  _Unless…_

* * *

A solid blast of heat sent Tujiu and Shifu crashing through a wall and plummeting to the ground below.

_Oh holy-_

Tujiu caught the air just in time, his wings splayed out on both sides of him, slowing his descent so he hit the ground without so much as a bump.

"Gah! Shifu!"

Tujiu spun round to find the Dragon Warrior and three of the Furious Five (Viper, Crane and Mantis) sprinting towards him in panic. No, not  _him_. The motionless red panda half buried in a pile of snow.

"Master!  _Master!_ "

The warriors gathered around their master, and Viper put the tip of her tail to the side of his neck.

"Oh thank god! He's alive!"

Tujiu huffed in disappointment and turned his attention to the exterior wall they had just fallen from. Sixty feet up was a massive hole spewing smoke and flame. Men from the army camp were sprinting through the entrance doors of the main building, carrying buckets of dirt and snow to put out the fire with.

_Good luck with that. God damn it, my helmet was in in that study!_

So was any more evidence of Tujiu's involvement with the order, the vulture realized. He grinned. Good. If Xian suspected him of more than murdering dozens of men, he would have a hard time proving it.

Even better, his plan had been a success. The idiots were convinced that the Yeti had double-crossed them. They would have no choice but to stay.

And that would bring things to a satisfactory conclusion in more ways than one.

Tujiu calmly made his way through the chaos and in the direction of the entrance doors. He would hide out in the library until things calmed down, maybe read a book and-

The door burst open before he could reach it, and out leapt Master Tigress and Mantis.

"Tujiu, what was that explosion just now?" Tigress demanded. A second later she spotted Grandmaster Shifu, lying limp on the ground with his terrified students surrounding him.

"No… no…" She whispered. Her fists started to shake. Tears sprung up in her eyes.  _Aren't you being a little overdramatic?_  Tujiu thought. "SHIFU!"

She charged towards them, Mantis closed behind. Tujiu didn't see what happened next, for by the time she and her comrade reached their wounded master he was already in the entrance hall and heading towards the corridor leading to the library.

The library was empty when he reached it, just as he'd hoped. He hadn't seen Xian, Di Tan, Eagle Jr. or that little panda cub since the explosion, so they were more likely elsewhere in the fortress. Their whereabouts was at the moment insignificant, so Tujiu sat down on a bench and stared up at the third floor of the library, where the secret entrance to the tomb was located.

_Nice try, my dear._  Tujiu smirked.  _You're going to have to do better than that to derail my_ -

"Sir."

Tujiu turned his head to see Sao glaring accusingly at him from the entrance. His fur was covered in soot.

"What have you done?" The fox asked quietly.

"What I had to." Tujiu brushed the soot off his wings. "It is imperative that we stay here until the sarcophagus is in the order's possession."

"Sir, you have just sentenced us all to death!" Sao stormed into the room. "If the Yeti doesn't kill us, the demon surely will! Do you have any idea what you have just-"

"In case you hadn't noticed, the 'demon' as you call it, just tried to kill me and Master Shifu just now and failed miserably." Tujiu replied. He chuckled as it dawned on him that one of the most powerful entities in Asia had failed to kill him. Failed to kill the great General Tujiu. "I think things are going to turn out just fine. Just… fine."

"But why?" Sao demanded. Tujiu could hear the fury in disbelief in the fox's voice, but didn't bother looking at his expression. "Why would you put all of us in danger? Do you realize that if Shifu or Xian find out what you've done, our lives won't be worth a single yuan!"

"They won't live long enough to figure it out." Tujiu replied. "None of them will."

That made Sao fall silent.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

Tujiu sighed inwardly. Sao was loyal, but he would need a lot of convincing on this one. For a single moment, he wondered if he had thought this entirely through after all, but then he pushed those thoughts aside. He had a job to do. He turned to face Sao at last.

"Look, it had to be done." Tujiu said slowly. "Xian left me no choice. He's not ruthless enough to understand. None of them are. For both ours sakes, none of them can make it off this mountain."

"General, you can't kill the Emperor!" Sao shouted.

"Keep your voice down!" Tujiu snapped back. "Are you trying to get us both killed?"

"If we get discovered then we  _will_  get killed!" Sao snarled, his eyes narrow slits.

"Look, sooner or later the Yeti is going to have to confront us directly." Tujiu explained impatiently. "People are going to get hurt or worse. What if…" he grinned at Sao. "What if the  _emperor_  is one of them?"

"Are you saying that-"

"It's simple: instead of killing the emperor ourselves, we'll just let the Yeti do the job for us."

"What about Shifu and his students? I highly doubt they'll be easy for even that monster to kill."

"I highly doubt that any of them will escape a battle with a creature that powerful alive- not without injury or exhaustion. We'll just kill them while they're weak."

Suddenly Sao lost patience.

"Are you out of your mind, General?!" The fox snapped. "You have no guarantee that this plan will work! Why can't we just leave while the Yeti and the demon are giving us the opportunity? We can always come back later with the soldiers in league with the order!  _For god's sake, listen to sense!_ "

Tujiu glared at him, unmoved.

"Think about this, colonel." Tujiu said calmly. "If this goes well, then the order will have eight or nine less powerful enemies to worry about when they finally make their move." Sao started to protest some more, only for the vulture to strike him across the face with a wing. "Have you forgotten that we are on a time limit here?" Tujiu growled. "In a matter of days, the sarcophagus will be opened and the demon will be released at its full power! The sarcophagus  _has_  to be in the order's hands by then!"

Sao rubbed his cheek and glared at Tujiu in contempt.

"The emperor was right." Sao said. "You're insane. But you have a point."

"Are you in or not?" Tujiu asked impatiently.

Sao closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, weighing his options.

"If- no,  _when_  this blows up in our faces… you're on your own."

* * *

_Damn you, Tujiu!_

The Yeti had seen the brutal murder of the army medic with its own eyes, known the vulture's intent the moment he heard the master come running and watched Tujiu flee the scene before anyone spotted him.

Just when things were beginning to go back in the Yeti's favor, that vulture had to trick everyone into staying. Worse, it had no way of proving that it hadn't committed the crime. And now the son of the person it had killed fifteen years ago was hunting it, complicating things even further.

_I'm sorry, mistress. I have disappointed you_. It thought.

It reached its lair. It wasted no time in tossing all the helmets, weapons and pieces of armor it had collected into a large leather bag. It tossed the bag over its shoulder and activated the stairway to the crumbling city where many creatures like itself had once lived.

The Yeti cursed General Tujiu once more and made his way down the steps.

Time for Plan B.


	46. The White End of the Stick

When Po put his arm around Tigress's shoulders in an attempt to comfort her, she didn't shrug it off. Her eyes were fixed on the guest room door, her claws digging into her elbows. Po couldn't blame her for being so agitated. On the other side of that door, one of the surviving medics was working diligently on their red panda master.

It didn't look good. When they found him lying on the ground, his body hadn't been exactly mangled, but when the medic arrived he had forbidden them from lifting him. When he explained why, their blood had frozen in their veins: a fall like that may very likely have damaged his spine.

And so Po, Tigress, Crane, Viper and Mantis waited, praying to every god they knew that their master's injuries weren't as severe as the medic thought.

They were the only people who could bear to stay outside the room. When Su found out what had happened, she had been so distressed that Di Tan had taken her to the library to wait. Neither of them had returned yet. Emperor Xian was in his bedroom, obviously still blaming himself for the medic's death. Master Eagle Jr. was in the ex-general's private study, or what was left of it. The fire had finally been doused and he and several other soldiers were currently trying to salvage what they could: a record of everything that occurred since they arrived at the fortress had been in that room.

Po turned his head to look at Tigress. She hadn't spoken since she had found a stray plank of wood to place Shifu on so they could safely transport him to the room they were currently standing in front of.

"I'm sorry."

Tigress's right ear twitched.

"What?" She asked sharply, her gaze never leaving the door.

"I said I'm sorry." Po said. "What I said earlier… about how hard it was to get you to like me… that came out wrong."

"No, it came out right." Tigress replied, her expression sour. "Like you said once, I stink at friendship."

"That's not true!" Po replied.

"Really? Prove it!"

Po didn't know how to answer that, so he fell silent.

_Po, you idiot. You never learn, do you, you never ever learn!_

"In that case, I stink at…" Po hesitated. "Uh…  _talk_ -ship!"

"Excuse me?" Tigress asked. Crane, Viper and Mantis wisely did not join in.

"Tigress, I've got a big mouth. I talk too much, I always have, and most of it's rubbish. Why do you have to take everything I say so-"

_Crack._

"YAAAARRRGGGHHH!"

Every single being in the room froze.

_Crack._

"WAHEIHEHEHEI!"

_Crack._

"GAAAAAHHH!"

"Master?!" Tigress had gone paler than all of them put together. "Master!"

Before Po could stop her she flung open the door.

_Crack._

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"For heaven's sake, stop trying to move!" The medic scolded as he leaned over Master Shifu, who was lying flat out on the bed, the plank still beneath him.

"What's wrong with him?" Viper cried anxiously as she and the others followed Tigress into the room.

The medic looked up at them.

"Nothing too serious, he's merely-"

_Crack._

"YOOOOAAARRRGGGHHH!"

"Oh for heaven's sake!" The medic clapped a paw over the red panda's mouth. "I have good news and bad news."

"What's the bad news?" Po asked nervously.

"The bad news, he indeed has some damage to his back." The medic said.

"Oh no!" Po moaned.

Shifu, obviously disgruntled at having a stranger's paw covering his mouth, started to struggle.

_Crack._

"Muuurrrgggghhh!"

"The good news, is that he hasn't fractured his spine as I had feared." The medic went on. "He's merely thrown his back out."

"Oh  _nooo_ …" Po moaned.

"If you will wait patiently, I will get a muscle relaxant." The medic removed his paw from Shifu's mouth.

"Do that again and I will send you flying through the roof!" The red panda snapped.

The medic ignored him and left the room.

Tigress didn't hesitate to rush to Shifu's side.

"Thank god you're not seriously hurt!" She said. "Does it hurt?"

"Not if I keep as still as the board I'm lying on." Shifu replied stiffly. "Remind me to give that medic a good right hook when he gets back."

Right at that moment, Xian stepped into the room. He evidently had heard Shifu's screams.

"Grandmaster Shifu, if you had actually fractured your spine, that medic's advice would have saved you from further injury." The tiger said disapprovingly. "You could be a little more grateful."

"You're right, I'm sorry." Shifu sighed as he stared up at the ceiling. "Everything has gone so wrong…"

"Yeah." Crane said. "It's a mess. You're hurt, a medic's dead, part of the fortress has been blown up, Monkey's gone..."  
"We have to go after him!" Mantis spoke up. "He's our buddy! We can't just let him get himself killed!"

"He's right!" Po said. "Look Shifu, I know what you're gonna say;" He began speaking in a deep, gruff voice. "'Monkey disobeyed me. He has decided to face the consequences. We have no choice but to'-" He stopped when he saw Shifu's expression.

"First, I do  _not_  sound like that." Shifu said. "Second, I wasn't going to say that we leave him to die. Even though what he has done was incredibly stupid and reckless, he is still your comrade and my student. First thing tomorrow you are to form a search party and bring him back by any means necessary."

Po looked like he wanted to hug Shifu.

"Thanks, Shifu. I knew you weren't completely heartless!"

Tigress discreetly kicked him in the shin.

"What should we do in the meantime, Master?" Viper asked.

"Viper, I want you to go to the library and let Su and Di Tan that I'm not at death's door yet, then come straight back here." Viper bowed and slithered off at once. "Po, I want you to go to the kitchen and get five chopsticks, one for each of you. And before you bring them back, I want you to dip one end of two sticks in some white paint."

"Sure." Po said. "Uh, why?"

"To decide who joins the search." Shifu said. "I need two uninjured masters to stay here and defend the fortress."

* * *

"Now, by the time the potion wears off you should be able to walk on your own." The medic said as he had Shifu dink down the muscle relaxant. "No kung fu for several days."

"Very well." Shifu said once he had downed the contents of the bottle and he could speak.

Po entered the room with a handful of chopsticks held in one paw.

"Got them, Master Shifu." Po said.

"Good. Everyone except Emperor Xian gather around the bed."

Once his students were all gathered, Shifu sat up in his bed and pulled the plank out from under himself.

"Listen, all of you." He said. "Because no-one among us has faced this kind of enemy before I am unable to choose among you based on your combat styles. Therefore we will do this in a less conventional manner." He gestured for everyone to turn their attention to the chopsticks in Po's paw. "Two of those chopsticks have one end painted white. When I count to three, I want all of you to take out a chopstick. The two who receive the white-ended chopsticks will remain here to defend the fortress. The rest will set out to find Monkey and bring him back. No buts. Do you understand me?"

They nodded.

Shifu counted to three.

One by one they pulled a chopstick from Po's grip.

Viper's was plain.

Po's was plain.

Crane's was white. He looked torn between relief and dismay.

"It's alright, Crane." Viper said in assurance. "You've been through enough."

_It's you I'm worried about_  was plastered all over Crane's face.

Tigress and Mantis looked down at the two remaining chopsticks. One of them granted possible safety. The other a possible demise.

"Don't linger." Shifu said.

Tigress and Mantis simultaneously chose their chopsticks. Mantis's was white.

Shifu's shoulders slumped in disappointment.

"Very well, it is decided." He said. "Po, Tigress and Viper will set out tomorrow. In the meantime I want you to get some rest. You are dismissed."

"Yes, Master." His students saluted him and departed.

* * *

When Su was four years old, a little more than two years before Master Shifu and his students came to her isolated village and changed her life forever, she spent an entire afternoon determining the age of a single tree.

Around that time, a friend of her mother's had become pregnant, and being a good neighbor her father cut down one of the nearby trees to build a crib with. Since he had used a saw instead of an axe, a flat stump had been left, and on it Su spotted a series of thin rings on the golden brown surface, the pattern starting at the center then expanding to the circular edge, that interested her. When she asked her father about it he told her that those rings told the age of the tree, and if you counted all of them you would know how old it was.

And that was what Su did. While her father and Mr. Qiang dragged the fallen tree away, Su sat down before the stump and began to count. One… two… three… four… five… at one point a pair of kids around her age came over and began doing the same thing, making a competition out of it. Neither of them got as far as twelve before they gave up and walked off, which Su found off because she herself was managing just fine… just as Su reached forty two her mother came over, concerned that her daughter hadn't returned to their home in time for dinner . The unexpected distraction made Su lose count. Instead of bringing her daughter back into the house, Su's mother merely sat down on the ground beside her and suggested that she resume counting. Su did as she was asked, and after thirty two minutes finished at one hundred and twenty eight.

It wasn't until later that evening that Su learned that what she had assumed was an ordinary counting game was anything but ordinary in other people's eyes.

She had been washing her paws in the next room when she overheard her parents talking. It wasn't the playful banter she had come to expect from a pair of lovers or the mindless chatter from the old ladies who frequented the orchard. She wasn't sure what sort of conversation it was supposed to be. She walked to the door but hesitated from opening it.

"It was amazing, Pong, you should have seen her."

"Are you sure you're not pulling my leg?" Su's father asked. "What kind of four year old child is capable of counting from those tiny little tree rings?"

"I'm telling the truth. I sat beside her all afternoon. She counted every single tree ring without stopping! All one hundred and twenty eight of them!"

"She counted one hundred and twenty eight?!" her father must have dropped a cup or something, because at that moment Su heard a smash. "That's not possible, most four year olds can only count up to ten or something!"

"Well, Su's not like most four year olds." Her mother said. "You're her father, you've seen how responsible she is. She cooked an entire pan of noodle soup when she was three! And did I ever tell you about the time Qiang caught Su  _reading_  one of his recipes? At the age of  _two_? How old were we when we learned how to read?"

"I see your point." At this point, both Su's mother and father sounded like they were in complete awe. "What should we do? I mean, if Su really is one of those super smart kids, should we encourage it?"

There was a pause.

"Yes, but we should be careful about it." Her mother said. "Besides, she has trouble finding the confidence to talk and play with the other children. We don't want her thinking she's different."

"Why don't we give her some schooling ourselves?" Her father said. "You said she can read. Let's encourage that."

The rest of the conversation focused on all the possible ways they could develop their daughter's intelligence without making her stand out. All the while the tone in their voices slowly changed from awe to pride as it dawned on them that their little girl was special. In the end Su began to get worried that she would get caught eavesdropping and returned to cleaning herself.

Were her parents right? Was she really super smart as they called it? It did seem odd that she seemed to know a lot more than the other kids did. And some of the grown ups for that matter. Was she really special? Would that change the way her parents felt about her? That scared her most of all.

But it turned out that she didn't need to worry. The next morning her mother gently roused her from sleep as usual, with the same loving smile. There was no fear or awe in her expression. The only thing that was different was that later that morning her father gave her an unusual present: a handcrafted abacus that was used in mathematics. It took a few minutes for her to figure out how it worked, and then she took it with her back to the tree stump to make sure the initial number of rings she had come up with was correct. As it turned out she had no need to worry, but she still enjoyed the abacus nevertheless.

Over the next two years her parents continued to give her small gifts that helped her learn more than Qiang's weekly cooking classes ever could. Each time Su would smile at her parents and thank them. Though she never said it out loud, she thanked them not just for encouraging her to learn, but for not making a big deal out of it as well. She didn't think she could handle the other kids being jealous of her, and she hated herself enough for falling down the front porch steps each time she left the house.

So much had changed since then. Since Su had moved into the Jade Palace and began learning the art of tai chi, she had become significantly less clumsy, and thanks to the Jade Palace library and the secret library she found, she had learned more than she had ever dreamed. She couldn't wait to meet her parents and show them all she had learned.

If she ever got to see them again.

And that was why she was here in the library, reaching for the scroll that contained information on the Yeti. Now that Viper had told her and Di Tan that Shifu was alright, Su could stop worrying and get to work.

The ambassador's journal had mentioned an empress. A Dragon Empress who commanded an army of powerful creatures with domed heads. Rather like the domed headed Yeti she had encountered in the burning building. Just as she suspected, the Yeti and the strange person from her sleepwalking dream were connected. Now Su just had to figure out exactly what the two creatures were trying so hard to protect.

Su pulled out the scroll and made her way back to the ground floor, where Di Tan was once again perusing the recipe scrolls.

The creature that invaded people's dreams was almost fairy-tale like in nature. The fairy tale section wouldn't be a bad place to start looking for answers.


	47. The Secret of the Sphere

_Wow… if what I'm thinking is true, then… wow… I should see if there's anything on the third floor that confirms my theory._

Su tucked the two scrolls under her arm and headed for the stairs.

"Mr. Di Tan, I'm going up to the third floor." Su called over to the goose. "I wanna see if there's anything useful up there."

"Alright. That's nice." Di Tan mumbled as he continued to stare at the recipe scrolls in fascination. Su figured that he wasn't really paying attention, rolled her eyes and made her way up the stairs. Being nervous around heights, Su had to close her eyes and grip the rail tightly as she ascended, but fortunately she was able to reach the top in one piece.

She spent an hour and a half reading through the scrolls and books, the contents of which consisted of subjects related to science and alchemy. One of the alchemy scrolls felt a little heavier than the others, but considering the amount of paper she paid it no mind.

In the end, while she learned more about science than she had ever imagined, Su didn't find anything of use. Disappointed, she put the last astronomy scroll back in place and headed back for the stairs… and stopped dead when she spotted the metal spherical device sitting on the library's single but wide balcony.

It wasn't a solid object, like the Jade Orb of Infinite Power. It looked more like a metal skeleton, consisting of thin silver rings circling a single golden orb set in the center of the object. Each ring had a smaller orb embedded in it.

Su stared at the device in fascination before realizing that one of the astronomy scrolls had described a device much like this one. She rushed back to the shelf, grabbed the scroll and reread it.

Of course! It was an astrolabe. Scientists used it to predict the position of the stars and planets. The astrolabe it described looked more flat. This one looked far more sophisticated. The scroll also said that the astrolabe was used farther west, in places like Greece and Islam. So what was one doing here in the Himalayas?

That didn't matter now. She had never seen an astrolabe before, and right now, she was dying to give it a go.

Su stepped out onto the balcony and walked up to the astrolabe. It looked even more awesome up close. Now how to get it to work…

Su spied a row of levers at the base of the astrolabe, above them a series of numbers. Su peered at the numbers… and frowned.

The numbers said 12-8-228 AD

That was more than fifteen years ago.

"That's weird…" Su whispered. She took out a blank scroll she had brought with her, and wrote down the date. She never knew, the grown ups may find this important in future.

Now that she had the date recorded, she decided to play around with the levers. She soon found that she had to rotate rather than pull them, and when she did, one of the rings slowly rotated with it, so that the orb embedded in it was in a different position within the astrolabe.

"Wow, it still works!" Su's cheeks turned pink with glee. What would the astrolabe look like when she arranged the rings and its orbs in a certain manner?

She looked back down at the levers and realized that the number had changed slightly. It now read 14-2-243 AD.

"That must be the date that the planets are in that particular alignment." Su said. "This must be how they determine time. But I don't think the normal astrolabes work like this one does."

_What would the alignment be if I set the date to 23-1-243 AD? The date today?_

Su fingered the levers. This was going to be tricky.

_It looks like the numbers change according to the position of the 'planets'. I'll need to do this slowly._

Carefully, she rotated the lever that controlled a large orb that had a red circle painted on its lower half. The numbers changed to 5-5-232 AD.

_Hmmm… this really is hard to work out. Oh well, I do like puzzles._

* * *

"Po, go to the library and bring Su and Di Tan back to the guest rooms. It's time both of them got some sleep."

"Okay, Master Shifu."

Po made his way through the fortress, at one point passing a soot-covered Eagle Jr. and a group of soldiers, and entered the library to find Di Tan sitting amongst a mess of scrolls in the far corner.

"Hey, Di Tan!"

Di Tan looked up, startled.

"Dragon Warrior! Goodness, I didn't hear you come in!"

"Sorry." Po replied. "Where's Su?"

Di Tan turned his head from side to side.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? You were supposed to be watching her!"

"She's probably on one of the upper floors."

"Alright, you head back to bed, I'll get her."

"Very well. Good night, Dragon Warrior."

Di Tan stood up and began gathering the scrolls scattered around the floor. Meanwhile, Po made his way to the foot of the circular staircase. He paused and looked up at the stairs. They looked even taller up close.

"Stairs…" he muttered. "I hate stairs…"

* * *

Su had gotten the hang of it now. If her predictions were correct, she just needed a half turn clockwise of the lever controlling the 'moon', a quarter turn anti-clockwise for the orb that had a tiny flat ring surrounding it, and a full turn for the smallest orb that was the farthest from the massive gold orb in the center.

Half turn…

The numbers changed again.

Quarter turn…

Su decided to turn the last lever clockwise…

Full turn…

_Click._

Su froze. The sound had come the other side of the astrolabe's base.

The girl gulped. Maybe playing with the astrolabe hadn't been a good idea.

Nervously, she crept around the base, and what she found made her dark blue eyes widen in amazement.

A small compartment had opened up in the side of the base, and in the darkened hole she could see a long narrow object. After a moment's hesitation she pulled it out. Whatever it was, it was hard and wrapped in a silky black cloth. It didn't feel alive or sharp, so Su took a chance and unwrapped the cloth.

"A spyglass?" Su muttered. In her paws was a shiny metal spyglass the length of a grown up's forearm. It looked like the one Shifu had, but when she looked through it she could see much, much farther, especially when she turned the tiny levers her fingers found on the spyglass's cylindrical surface.

_This is so cool! How sophisticated is this place? I've gotta show this to the others!_

Su gripped the spyglass tightly and left the balcony, making a beeline for the stairs- and gasped when a large black arm shakily shot up out of nowhere and gripped the top of the stairs. A second later Po's head emerged, dripping with sweat and gasping with exhaustion. As Su stared, the rest of the larger panda's body followed and lay heaving on the floor before her.

"Hate…" He gasped.

"Po?" Su asked.

"Hate… hate… stairs…" Po turned his head and saw Su. "Hey, Su… Shifu says… it's time to go… to bed…"

"Okay." Su said. "Are you okay?"

"Never… say never…" Po slowly sat up. "Wait, that's not right."

"Did you mean 'never been better?" Su asked.

"Yeah." Po said. "Come on, let's get to bed."

Su smiled as she tried not to laugh.

"Po, you'll never guess what I've found!"

"I give up. What did you find?"

In answer, Su brought the spyglass up to her eye. Through it, everything was so blurred it was all one greyish color, but with a quick turn of one of the little switches Su could suddenly see the dark green speckles of Po's left iris.

"Where did you get that, that looks awesome!" Po got up to his feet, by now recovered from his journey up the stairs.

"I found it while I was playing with the astrolabe?" Su replied as she lowered the spyglass.

"Astrowhat?"

"An astrolabe!" Di Tan gasped. Po yelped at the goose's sudden appearance. "My goodness, I never thought I'd ever get to see such a remarkable invention!"

"It's right over there on the balcony." Su said. "Just turn the levers and you can change the position of the planets."

"Goodness, I must try it out!" Di Tan waddled off in the direction of the balcony.

"Hang on a sec, Shifu sent me to get you guys back to the guestrooms!" Po exclaimed. "If I don't get you two in your beds he'll kill me!"

"Oh very well." Di Tan turned back and returned to the others. "Where exactly did you find that spyglass, Su?"

When Su explained, Po said;

"That's weird, why would something hide a spyglass in an acetate?"

Su giggled.

"It's astrolabe." She said. "And I dunno. It's not doing any harm. Should we show it to Master Shifu?"

"Why don't we do that tomorrow?" Po asked, a second later letting out a massive yawn. "It's way past your bedtime."

"Okay." Su tucked the spyglass into her belt along with her coin. "Just let me put these two scrolls back."

"What were those for?" Po asked.

"Just a little theory I'm working on." Su replied innocently. "I need to take these back to the ground floor. Come on!"

* * *

With careful fingers, the Yeti pulled the gold lining from the pieces of armor and helmets he had collected over the last few weeks and dropped the bits into a small vat. Then he broke off the wooden staffs of the spears so only the sharp metal heads remained. He tossed them into the bigger vat in the corner of the massive crumbling room, along with the damaged armor and other metal weapons. He was about to light the furnace until a shaft of moonlight caught his eye. Looking up through a crack in the ceiling, he saw the moon shining brightly down from the starless sky, a silvery white eye in the darkness. The Yeti hesitated. It was late, and he hadn't rested since early dawn. Perhaps he should retire for the night and begin the forging process in the morning.

The Yeti doused the match and left the foundry.

A minute later he emerged back into the cave that served as the 'back door' to the city. The main entrance had been buried in a landslide that occurred twenty five or so years ago, and a good thing too; the main entrance was situated a mere quarter mile from the fortress.

The Yeti stepped outside onto the rocky outcropping. In the distance it saw the barely visible outline of the fortress, still standing strong after all those years. Those decades. The Yeti felt a small sadness at the thought of what was to come. How much of the building would be left after all this is over?

It didn't matter that much. His mistress had never cared for material needs. In fact the only reason she had ever taken up residence in that fortress was because of the great love and effort that went into the building of that architecture. He doubted that she would mind a little damage here and there. Then again, the library was one of a kind, filled with knowledge from all four corners of the world. He remembered the many times he had curiously played with the astrolabe, how each prediction was spot on. The second library, full of languages it had heard only from the tongues of foreigners. When the time came, he would have to take care to keep the action away from that place, to make sure that none of the scrolls and books came to harm…

The Yeti stopped reminiscing as he gazed at the blackened horizon, his brows creased in concern.

A storm was coming.

No, it wasn't using a metaphor. A blizzard was on the way, and it was a powerful one, and by powerful it meant sixty mile gale winds lasting two or three days. If the Yeti had to make a guess, he would say that it would be about a day and a half before the storm came upon them. That meant he had the rest of the night to rest and the entire next day to do a little more outdoor work. Once the blizzard arrived he would spent the entirety of it indoors, completing his work in the foundry. By the time the storm passed everything should be ready.

The Yeti turned and headed back inside. He sat down on a large black chair situated in one corner of the cave.

After a while, the Yeti closed his eyes. He thought of the night he had blown up the storage building. Why did  _she_  want the panda's life spared? He wondered. It was most unlike his mistress to appear out of the blue to order him to let their enemy live. When  _she_ would next speak to him, he would ask her. But for now, he would rest.

A few minutes later, the Yeti was asleep, his bottom half bathed in the moonlight shining through the mouth of the cave.


	48. Daybreak

Outside the window, the horizon was suddenly ablaze as the sun rose over the cragged mountain peaks. Daybreak.

The light shone through Xian's eyelids, rousing the tiger from sleep. He sat up in his bed and rubbed his temples. His other paw gripped his locket. It had been a terrible night. The nightmares had started up again.

Xian didn't bother with his morning workout today. Instead he walked straight into the bathroom, leaned over the basin and splashed his face, the cold simultaneously shocking and refreshing. He looked up into the mirror and took in his features. Water dripped from his fur. His face looked thinner from stress and lack of eating (he hadn't eaten much of his tsampa last night). The sleepless night had left dark shadows under his eyes. The Yeti had done this to him, and he had brought the Yeti on himself.

That monster had him and half the people he cared for trapped. There was only one way to escape, to save those who were still left, and that was to forsake all the luxuries of an emperor and go back to the basics of a kung fu warrior.

It was time for the fortress of White Fortitude to start living up to its name.

* * *

Su bumped into Emperor Xian in the corridor just outside the entrance hall, just as he was pulling on his vest, accompanied by Master Eagle Jr. Aside from Su and Di Tan, who was probably still in the kitchen, the main building was more or less empty. No-one knew were Monkey had disappeared to, and Masters Po, Tigress and Viper had set off first thing this morning in search of him. Crane and Mantis were in the topmost room of the right hand tower, trying to figure out what the mechanical room was for, and if it would be of any use to their survival. Master Shifu was currently overseeing the activity in the foundry. Tujiu and Sao were god knows where. As for the soldiers, they were busy gathering everything from soup to weapons and transporting it all into the storage warehouse in the left hand tower. As for Xian himself and his feathered friend, they were just about to go and meet with Shifu.

But first he had to let Su know what was going on.

"Good morning, Emperor Xian." Su bowed formally, as Tigress had taught her to do. "Where is everybody?"

So no-one had told her of Monkey's disappearance yet. Xian sighed and knelt down so he was more her level.

"Monkey has… wandered off and gotten lost." He said. He wasn't sure if telling a little girl that Monkey had plans to hunt down and kill his father's murderer would be a good idea. "His friends have gone out to look for him."

"Will they be back soon?" Su asked. She let out a tiny yawn and rubbed her eye. One small black paw held together the blanket that was wrapped around her. Despite the negative emotions swirling inside, Xian couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"They should be back by nightfall." Xian said. He motioned for Eagle Jr. to go ahead without him. Eagle Jr. nodded, bid the girl good morning and walked off.

"I hope they get back before the storm comes." Su said.

"Storm? What storm?"

"Oh damn!" Master Eagle stopped just short of the entrance hall and made his way back to them. "My most sincere apologies, your highness, I forgot to tell you in the chaos of recent events. Just before dawn our scouts spotted a winter storm about eighty miles south east of us."

"Is it relevant?" Xian asked.

"Probably. Our scouts say that it's a blizzard, and a very dangerous one. By dangerous I mean powerful winds lasting several days."

"That bad, huh?"

"Yes, and it's currently moving in our direction."

Xian froze.

"Oh god." He whispered in horror as a series of metal images were displayed in his head. "If Po and his comrades get caught in it…"

"Calm down, there's still the chance that the storm will change course." Eagle Jr. said.

"But in the meantime, someone's going to have to go out there and warn the search party." Xian said. "Who else knows about the storm?"

"Aside from Su, Shifu, Crane and Mantis know. I informed them the moment I received the news."

"And what did Shifu say?"

"He said that if the storm is still heading in our direction after twelve hours, Crane is to go out and bring Po and the others back."

"Good." Xian said. "Go on ahead. I'll catch up once I've finished talking with Su."

Eagle Jr. disappeared down the corridor.

"Mr. Emperor, is something wrong?" Su asked.

"Nothing's wrong, Su." Xian replied gently. "It's just that I'm going to have to ask you to stay here in the main building for the time being."

"Is it so I don't get in the way of you guys preparing for battle?"

"Yes, I- wait a minute, how did you know that?"

"I may be a kid, but I'm not stupid." Su said with a small scowl. "We're stuck here with a giant monster trying to kill us. I know what that means."

"I see…" Xian murmured. "If you've already had breakfast, why don't you go to the library and do some more reading?"

"I'm about to go there now." Su said, suddenly brightening up again. "Last night, I found something pretty weird, and I wanna see if the library's hiding anything else!"

Xian's ears pricked in interest.

"What did you find?"

"Come with me, I'll show you!" Su led Xian back up the corridor and into her guestroom. A minute later she was placing a spyglass in his paws.

"You say you found this in an astrolabe?" Xian was astounded.

"Yep." Su said. "Those little levers on the side seem to change how far you can see through the lens."

Xian put the spyglass up to his eye and soon realized that she was right. He collected himself and looked back down at Su.

"Well… first of all… I'm impressed- no actually I'm  _amazed_  you learned how to use an astrolabe so quickly… and second… do you have any idea what this spyglass could be intended for?"

"I have a few ideas." Su said. "There's still a couple of things I need to do before I know for sure. I don't want to say anything yet, but if I'm right we might be able to figure out the true origins of this fortress!"

"So everyone's got something worthwhile to do but me." Xian muttered. Su's excited smile fell.

"Did I say something wrong?" She asked. Xian pulled his head back. He hadn't expected her to hear that.

"No, nothing's wrong." He said quickly. Su looked strangely deep in thought.

"Nobody blames you, you know." She said quietly.

"Excuse me?"

"About the medic dying. It's not your fault." Su said.

Xian merely shook his head.

"I know you're trying to comfort me, but you might as well save your breath." He said. A second later he realized that may have been too harsh so he tried again. "You can't understand. You're too young. You don't know what it's like to lose someone you couldn't protect."

Su tilted her head. Suddenly her eyes watered and she put a tiny paw on Xian's arm, the one that was still holding the spyglass.

"No, I don't." She replied softly. "But my daddy does."

Xian's grip on the spyglass loosened.

"What did you say?" He asked.

"When my daddy was a little older than me, he lost his mommy and daddy in a bandit raid." Su said. Her grip on his arm tightened. "Mr. Qiang, the leader of the village I used to live in, said that daddy was really sad afterward, and it wasn't until he met mommy that he got better." Xian gazed down at her, listening in silence. "But then a few months before I was born, mommy got sick. I overheard about it from a group of gossiping old ladies. They called it consumption, and the village healer said that mommy was gonna die from it no matter what daddy did."

Xian's mouth slowly fell open as he imagined it; a male panda sitting hopelessly by his wife's bedside, helpless as she coughed and coughed into a bloodstained handkerchief. The spyglass slowly slid from his grasp and clattered to the floor. But then he remembered conversing with Shifu and his students at the Winter Feast, and when they told him about their adventure in the Shidao Mountains, they had made it quite clear that both Su's father and mother were alive and well.

"What happened?" He managed to whisper.

"Mommy got better a little while after she got pregnant with me." Su said. A tear slid down her cheek. "I know it doesn't really change the fact that I don't know how you feel… but after seeing the look on daddy's face each time mommy so much as sneezes… I think I've got the general idea."

For what felt like an eternity, all that could be heard was the sound of the soft wind outside.

"Anyway!" Su suddenly leapt to her feet, startling the emperor. "I've a confession to make!"

"You do?" Xian asked.

"Yes. You know the other night, just after that building blew up, I kinda eavesdropped on you guys talking."

"You did?"

"Yeah." Su wiped the tear from her cheek and looked up at him sheepishly. "I woke up when Master Shifu and Mr. Tujiu started arguing about something. I listened outside the door for a while, but then Po and Mr. Tujiu started shouting at each other, so I got scared and went back to bed. It was about then that I found that box of scrolls."

"I see." Xian had been saying that a lot lately. "I forgive you for eavesdropping."  
"By the way, I found some of the stuff I overheard to be very useful." Su said as she leaned down and retrieved the dropped spyglass.

"You mean for this theory of yours?" Xian asked. "What is your theory anyway?"

Su checked that the spyglass was undamaged before answering his question.

"If my theory is correct, the library possesses a couple of tools, including this spyglass, that are required to find the Yeti's hiding place, solve one of the greatest mysteries in Asia, or both."

"What?!" Xian grabbed Su's shoulders. "Are you serious?!" In his wallowing in guilt and anger, he had completely forgotten about Su being a genius.

"People are getting hurt, so yes, I'm being serious!" Su huffed. "There's just a couple of things I need to do before I know for sure."

"Just a couple of things?" Xian said.

"First, I need to head outside and use the spyglass to check something out. Then I need to go to the library to check something I might have overlooked."

"That all?" Despite himself, Xian felt excitement welling up inside him. if this child did indeed possess the answer to their salvation… "Alright, go on and confirm this theory of yours! If you need help with anything, speak to Master Crane and Mantis. They'll be in the left hand tower! Tell them that I'm ordering them to give any help you need!"

"Mr. Emperor, are you okay?" A very perplexed panda cub asked.

"I'm fine!" Xian stood up. "I'm sorry, it's just that…" He sighed, and this time he was smiling. "If you're right… there might still be a chance to set things right."

"Oh." Was all Su said.

Xian knelt back down to her level and gently placed a paw on her shoulder.

"Su, thank you for giving me some genuine hope. And don't worry. Whether your theory is right or not, I'm going to get you back home if it's the last thing I do."

Without another word he left the room and made his way down the corridor hall.

He moved so briskly that at first he didn't notice the red panda leaning against the wall.

"Master Shifu!" Xian stopped in his tracks. "What are you doing here?"

"Eagle Jr. told me you were in the middle of a conversation with Su. I came over to see what was going on."

Xian noticed that Shifu's large ears were flattened against his head.

"You overheard." It wasn't a question.

"Yes." Shifu replied. "I think I'm beginning to understand why she acts so mature at such a young age."

Xian nodded.

"The more I get to know about her, the more I'm starting to think that being a brainiac has nothing to do with it." He said. "What's the situation so far? I overslept."

"The foundry's fully up and running and most of the supplies are within the fortress walls." Shifu replied. "All that's left if to set up a plan of defense."

"Good, good." Xian replied. "Have you figured out what that mechanical room at the top of the right tower is for yet?"

"No, but whatever it is, it is far more sophisticated than anything I've ever seen. We should probably leave it alone for now. Meddling with the machinery may cause more harm than good, anyway."

"You're right. What do we do in the meantime?"

"Arrange a meeting with some of the higher ranking soldiers and discuss a strategy."

"We should bring Colonel Sao too. He's too close to Tujiu for me to trust him, but he's the highest ranking officer aside from that vulture so we don't have much of a choice."

They continued their discussions as they walked down the hall. Xian looked back just in time to see Su poke her head through the guestroom door, spyglass still clutched in her paws.

* * *

The Yeti gazed at the pool of orange molten metal in the larger vat in satisfaction. It was ready.

He pulled a chain and the vat tilted, the spouted side of the vat pointed down in the direction of the mold that lay on the ground before it. The Yeti took a moment to sigh, slightly displeased that the foundry's machinery was so old and decayed that he had to use such cruder methods, before pulling the chain a little more, allowing the contents of the vat to pour into the mold in a steady stream.

Once he was done, he released the chain, checked that the molten metal was safely pooled in the mold, and then moved on to the smaller and far more important vat in the corner. The gold inside had turned to liquid. It wasn't glowing, but it wasn't any less hot. Carefully, the Yeti tilted the small vat, and the white hot contents trickled down into the small square shaped mold.

The Yeti made sure that both mold were secure and unlikely to spill or topple over. It would time for both to cool. Normally he should sit and watch over the molds in the interests of safety, but he didn't have time today. The storm would reach his location in a few hours. He had to hurry.

The Yeti made his way out the old city and up the spiral stone staircase that led to the cave.

Luckily there was more than one way to infiltrate the fortress.


	49. I Spy

"I spy, with my little eye… something… white!"

"Snow!" Po and Tigress spoke simultaneously.

"Wrong!" Viper exclaimed cheerfully. "Try again."

Blowing onto his paws, all Po could think about was the Valley of Peace. As a cub, Po would wake up every winter and look out his bedroom window to find the neighbor's window ledge draped in six inches of snow. He would then proceed to grab the crimson scarf the nice old lady next door had once made him and spend two hours making snow-pandas in the snow that had collected in the outdoor eating area of the restaurant. Around noon his father would praise him on his art and then call his son inside. Po would then spend the rest of the morning eating noodle bowl after noodle bowl while his father swept away the remaining snow just in time for the first customers to arrive.

Po turned his head as he walked and looked up at the cliff they were travelling alongside. The cliff face was ragged and covered in mounds of snow.

Here in the Himalayas, winter was nothing like it was in the Valley of Peace. Even the slightest breeze was like someone poking an icicle through their thick coats and pressing it against their skin. The snow was thick like jam and hard to walk through. There was also the ever-present danger of hidden crevasses. Three hours into their journey and they had already come across two. Not for the first time, Po wished he was back in the Jade Palace munching on Monkey's delicious almond cookies.

"Clouds." Po suggested as they walked.

"Try again!"

Before they had left, Po had asked Eagle Jr. to join them on their search, but the avian had refused, both because even though he was now out of bed his wing had yet to fully heal, and because he had made a vow to stay by the emperor's side and protect him with his life. Even though he had refused, Eagle Jr. had given each of the masters a meter long stick, with the advice to poke the ground in front of them as they walked to check for crevasses. So far the sticks had proven to be life saving-

"Gah!" Po yelped as he poked the ground in front of him and the snow suddenly collapsed to reveal a large hole. "Guys, watch out! Here's another one!"

"Po, get back!" Tigress carefully traversed the surrounding area, poking the snow with her stick until she had uncovered a crack nearly thirty feet long.

"Stay close, we're going to have to go around this." Tigress said. "And keep away from the edges."

"Remind me to kill Monkey once we find him." Po muttered.

Once all three of them had successfully evaded the crevasse, Tigress pulled out a map and drew a small symbol on it with a charcoal stick. There were two more symbols on the path they had drawn across the paper.

Because Monkey had covered his tracks very well, they had no trail to work with, so Eagle Jr. had spent the previous night plotting a path on the map, based on everything they had learned so far; all the deaths had occurred in the western area of the mountain, and judging from evidence found on a piece of a lotka paper lantern, the Yeti's lair was probably located near some old ruins that has so far gone undiscovered. And since Monkey knew all this, it was almost certain that the western area was where he had gone, and so his friends would follow him there.

"Po, walk a little slower from now on." Viper said. "You nearly went right over the edge."

"I know, sorry." Po mumbled. "Wait a sec, I've got it! Something beginning with white… your snow suit!"

"Yes!" Viper lifted her tail, which was clothed in Haoxin de Nushi's special snow suit along with the rest of her body.

"Okay, my turn." Po said. "I spy with my little eye… something beginning with-"

"Po!" Tigress snapped suddenly. "That's enough! We are wandering through a dangerous area and we cannot afford to get distracted!"

The feline stormed off ahead, leaving Po and Viper to stare at her retreating back. The panda's shoulders slumped.

"She's still mad at me isn't she?"

"It's not you, Po." Viper replied gently. "She's concerned about Monkey. We all are."

Po merely sighed.

"I hope you're right." he said.

"Come on!" Tigress called at that moment. Po and Viper rushed to catch up with her.

After a few minutes of silent walking, eyes and ears out for their missing friends, Tigress again checked the map.

"We should reach the rock where you were ambushed in about an hour." Tigress said. By 'you' she meant Po. "Once we get there we can eat that lunch we packed."

"Oh! Er… was that for all of us?"

Tigress turned on Po in disbelief.

"Po!"

"Kidding!" Po retreated five steps. "I'm just kidding! I though cracking a little joke would calm our nerves."

"Then  _don't_." Tigress growled.

"Sorry."

Tigress huffed and resumed her walking.

Viper gave Po a look that practically screamed, "what is wrong with you?" before following her.

Po mentally kicked himself in the head and gnashed his teeth together. When was he going to learn to grow up?

Oh well, it wasn't like the coldest and most dangerous mountain in the continent was the most appropriate place for kissing and making up. That would have to wait until they found Monkey and got their tails back to the relative safety of the fortress.

Po dug into his coat pocket and pulled out a handful of the little red fruits he had scavenged from the kitchen. They weren't exactly peaches, but he always liked to munch on some sweet fruit for when he was down in the dumps…

* * *

Tigress's head was lowered as she led the threesome across the landscape.

She knew she was being too harsh on the panda, and she hated herself for it. He was only trying to lift their spirits after all, what with so many people dead and Monkey probably already one of them.

_He probably thinks I'm still angry at him for what happened the other night. Once we find Monkey, I'm going to have to set things right and-_

"GAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIAAAAAA AHHHH!"

Tigress spun around so fast she actually stumbled.

Twenty feet behind her and Viper, Po was running towards the cliff at a speed she wouldn't have thought possible for the large panda. His screams muffled by both paws clamped over his mouth, eyes streaming, Po took a leaping dive into the snowdrift at the base of the cliff and disappeared in an explosion of white.

"Po?!" Tigress yelled.

For a moment all was silent, and then Po's upper half emerged from the snowdrift. A second look showed Tigress and Viper that his mouth was stuffed with snow.

"WAWAZ ZAT?!" Po yelled, his voice loud despite the snow falling from his open mouth and his bulging eyes. "WAZEHELWAZAT?!"

"Po! Keep your voice down!" Viper called. "You'll cause an avalanche!"

"WAT? YERTOOFAWAWAY!"

"Po!" Tigress called. "Stop shouting!"

"WAT?! OH! YUWANWETOSTOSHOWTI-"

WHUMP!

"Po!"

Tigress and Viper rushed towards the mound of snow that had just fallen and buried the panda. As they got closer, Po's head and shoulders emerged from the pile, his expression one of embarrassed anger.

"OKAY, WHO THREW THAT?"

WHUMP!

Tigress reached the pile first and started digging. Viper reached them a second later and together the women dug their comrade out of the snow. By then his face was red as a beetroot.

"Come on, let's back away from the cliff." Tigress and Viper pulled the panda away from the base of the cliff. Once they were sure they were safe, both women turned on Po.

"Po, care to start explaining?" Tigress asked. Po started speaking at once.

"I ate a few of these fruits I took from the kitchen before we left." Po pulled out several thin red objects. "It felt like I had eaten the sun and washed it down with lava!"

"Let me see that." Viper took one of the 'fruits' and examined it. Suddenly she burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Tigress demanded.

"Po, we can't leave you alone with food for a minute, can we?" Viper once she had calmed down. "These aren't fruit, these are red pimentos!"

"Pimenwhat?"

"Red peppers!"

Tigress suddenly realized that absurdity of what had just happened.

Po, the lover of food and son of a talented chef, had mistaken a spicy vegetable for a fruit.

"P-Po." She stuttered, feeling a laugh building up in her chest. "P-Po, you…" She bit back a smile as her stomach began to convulse with suppressed laughter.

"Tigress?" Po asked.

"Po, you s-stupid panda…" She started to chuckle, a fist covering her mouth.

Why is it that the panda who annoyed her more than anyone was also the panda who made her smile more than anyone?

"W-what are we going to d-do with you?" She snickered.

Po looked away bashfully.

Viper merely stared at her friend's out of character behavior.

"Er… should we press on?" Viper eventually spoke.

Tigress managed to stop laughing long enough to take a deep breath and regain her composure.

"You're right." She said. "Po, where's your travel pack and stick?"

"Oh darn, I dropped them when I ate those peppers. I'll be right back." Po turned round and began walking to the trail of footprints the trio had made minutes before.

He took three steps before the snow collapsed beneath his feet.

"Po!" Tigress and Viper yelled and reached for him at the same time.

Tigress managed to dig her fingers into the fabric of Po's coat before his weight dragged them both through the snow and into the darkness.

* * *

"Rrrrrggghhh! Come on! Push!" Mantis strained as he pushed at one of the massive gears of a big room that looked like the interior of one of Taotie's elaborate inventions. "Come on, move you stupid thing! Mush!"

Crane emerged from the top of the stairs that led into the room. He rolled his eyes at the sight of the tiny bug furiously pushing at the big gear.

"Mantis, what are you doing?"

"Trying to get this stupid room to work!" Mantis grunted in exertion until his arms slipped and he fell to the wooden platform in the middle of the room with a soft thud. "Owww…"

"I've just been told that Shifu wants us to give up on the room and help set up the defenses." Crane said with no sympathy whatsoever. "Come on, get up."

"Alright, alright, hang on a sec…" Mantis got up and mumbled under his breath. "Pencil neck."

"I heard that." Crane said.

"Whatever."

"Just come on! And watch where you step. Remember some of these floorboards are pretty rotten!"

"Okay! Jeez…"

Mantis followed the avian to the bottom platform. Crane had been edgy since Viper and the others had left to search for Monkey. Once or twice Mantis had heard Crane mutter under his breath about all the things he would do to the primate once they brought him back.

If they brought him back.

_Don't think like that! Monkey's okay. He's gotta be. Monkey, you idiot. What are you thinking?_

"Mantis, come on!"

"Al…right!"

Mantis took one last look around at the room as he followed Crane towards the exit, and that was when he noticed something unusual about the bottom of the left hand wall.

"Hey, Crane."

"What?" the avian replied without turning his head.

"Is it me, or does that machinery go through the floor?"

"Huh?"

Mantis hopped over to the point of interest. Indeed, there were several slits in the floor where the gears and columns went through.

"Where do you think this leads to?" Mantis asked.

"Right beneath us is a series of corridors and a few rooms which may be where the prison guards used to sleep." Crane said. "I didn't see any machinery there."

"Maybe it's hidden by walls or something." Mantis said. "This wall makes up the exterior of the tower. Maybe the machinery runs down the side of the building."

At that moment he felt someone tapping his shoulder. Mantis turned around.

"Su?" he said. "What are you doing here?"

The cub had a small smile on her face.

"I think I've figured it all out." Su said.

"Figured out what?" Mantis asked.

"Do you know where Master Shifu is? He's not in the foundry anymore."

"He must have gone back into the main building." Crane said. "Do you want us to-"

_Creeeaaak…_

They suddenly heard a sound coming from the floorboards they were standing on.

"Oh he-"

The floor collapsed.


	50. The Crevasse and the Gear

_Thud!_

The wind was knocked out of Po the moment he hit the ground. A second later Tigress landed flat on his belly, adding to the pain already assaulting the panda's body. Stars danced in front of Po's eyes, and it took a few moments for him to regain his senses enough to lift his head to look at the feline.

"Sorry." Tigress's voice sounded pained as she slid off of Po.

Po took a few deep breaths and painfully got to his feet. He tilted his head upwards to look up at the crack they had just fallen through. They must have fallen about sixty feet. Po thought that they were lucky that they had bumped on the ragged walls several times on their way down, even if they were covered in cuts and bruises. He could barely make out Viper's head as she stared into the hole, frantically calling Po and Tigress's names.

"Viper! We're okay!" Po called up.

"Oh thank god!" He barely managed to hear her say. "Don't worry, I'll get help!"

"No!" Tigress yelled. She was leaning against a rock in a sitting position. "It's too dangerous to try to go back down the mountain by yourself! Stay where you are and we'll try to find a way out ourselves!"

"Alright! Let me know if you need anything!"

"Hey Viper!" Po called. "I wouldn't mind a tofu take-out!"

"Not until we get back home in one piece!" Viper called. "Can you see a way out?"

Po looked at his surroundings, or what he could make out: aside from the shaft of daylight shining through the hole, there wasn't much light. They were in a narrow cavern, surrounding by ragged walls coated in ice so that the air itself seemed to have taken on a pale blue color. Like a corridor, the crevasse appeared to go in both directions. Which one they took would have to be decided between themselves.

Po turned his attention to Tigress. She was still on the floor.

"Tigress, are you okay?"

"Yeah." Tigress replied dismissively. "I'm just not as padded as you are."

"You're not hurt are you?" Po knelt down beside her.

"No, I'm just a little sore." This time Tigress meant to reassure him. "Just give me a minute."

"Tigress, there are two paths we can take." Po said. "One of them might lead to a way out. Do you think we should split up?"

"No, it's too risky." Tigress said. "None of us should be alone, ever."

"In that case, let's check the left path first." Po said. "Can you walk?"

"Of course I can!" To prove it, Tigress got to her feet… and staggered. Po grabbed her arms as she instinctively reached out for something to steady herself.

"Tigress!" Po exclaimed, now convinced that Tigress was seriously hurt.

"It's my leg." Tigress muttered, either not noticing or not caring that she was gripping his arms in turn. "I knocked it a few times when we were bouncing off the darn walls."

"Is it broken?" Po attempted to ease her back to the ground, but she stubbornly remained standing.

"No, it's just bruised like everywhere else." Tigress said. "Once it stops throbbing I'll be able to walk normally again."

"Well for now, leave any acrobatics to me." Po replied. "Now let's find a way out of here."

"One minute." Tigress pulled off her pack and rummaged through it. After a minute she scowled and pulled out some twisted metal.

"Crap, the lantern's bust." She muttered and tossed the ruined lantern aside. "Po's where's your pack?"

"It sorta flew out my paws when I was falling." Po sighed. "I think it's still up there with Viper."

"Get her to toss it down." Tigress said. "My matches are still intact."

A minute later, Viper had tossed down the lantern. Tigress carefully set it alight, and suddenly the icy blue atmosphere had turned a warm orange.

"That's better." Tigress said. She winced when she put weight on her bruised leg. "Po, let's get moving. We have to get back to the surface before nightfall."

Together, they cautiously made their way through the narrow cavern. The ground was as rough and ragged as the walls, meaning that for every three steps at least one of them tripped. Tigress held the lantern out in front of her with one arm, the other gripping the wall for support, as her leg continued to ail her. Po, meanwhile was wincing in pain from the numerous stubbed toes he accumulated as he walked.

"Gosh darn it!" Po groaned as he struck another rock. "Not the little piggy who had none!"

"What?" Tigress stopped in her tracks, rubbing her shin.

"Just a weird rhyme my dad sung to me when I was a cub. Pretend you didn't hear that." Po replied with a flush of his cheeks. "How's your leg?"

"No change." Tigress said. She propped herself against the wall as she said this.

"I think you should rest that leg for a bit." Po said. "I don't think all this walking around on a crappy path is helping."

"Po, we have to get out of here." Tigress said firmly.

"I know that!" Po replied. "But we've been walking for half an hour and already you look like you're about to topple over. Maybe we should sit down for a bit."

"Po, no!" Tigress snapped, and she resumed walking. After ten steps through the cavern, which by now was so narrow Po had to squeeze through, before realizing that Po hadn't moved. She turned back to him with a questioning look. In the light of the lantern, she could see that his arms were crossed.

"Tigress, your leg won't get better if you keep pushing yourself." Po replied. "Either we stop for a rest or I'm gonna have to carry you."

Tigress's eyes became slits.

"You… wouldn't…  _dare_."

In answer, Po made a beeline for her. Tigress leapt into a combat stance, only to hiss when the movement sent another throb of pain shooting through her leg. The distraction was all Po needed to get through her defense, wrap his arms around her waist, and lift her onto his shoulder.

"PANDA!" Tigress's voice echoed through the crevasse.

Po ignored her and started walking. Tigress beat her fists against his back in shocked outrage, but she may as well have been trying to smash a diamond.

"Po, put me down! Right now!"

Po didn't even turn his head. Holding her firmly in place with one arm, Po stepped over a particularly large rock, smiling to himself all the while. Ever since he had come to the Jade Palace, Tigress had made it a habit to lift and toss Po around like he was an overstuffed teddy bear and for some reason it felt good to have the tables turned for a change.

"Put me down this second!" Tigress was now trying to kick him in the face with the back of her foot. Po kept walking. Tigress's ears flattened and she clenched her teeth. "ALRIGHT WE'LL STOP FOR A REST! HAPPY?!"

Po stopped walking. Carefully, he set her down on the floor next to the wall. Tigress glared daggers at him, but the panda merely sat down beside her, setting the lantern between them.

"Yes, I am." He said casually. "In more ways than one."

* * *

The light disappeared as they fell through the floor.

"CRAPCRAPCRAPCRAPCRA-!" Mantis hollered, right before he and Crane slammed butts first onto cold flat ground, metal, wood or something else they couldn't tell. Before either of them could breathe, they found themselves sliding along the invisible surface, falling deeper and deeper into the darkness.

"CRANE!" Mantis screamed, his legs unable to gain purchase on the smooth rock. "CRANE!"

"TRY AND GRAB ONTO SOMETHING!" He heard Crane yell, right before the sloped ground disappeared beneath them.

Both men screamed as they tumbled through the abyss.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL-"

THUD!

Silence.

"Uhhh…" Mantis was the first to come round. "I am not doing that again. Crane?"

He heard the avian moan somewhere to his right.

"Crane, is that you? I can't see anything!"

"It's me!" Crane said. "Mantis, are you okay?"

"Yeah. I fell on my butt, though."

Mantis got to his feet and cautiously walked forward in the direction of Crane's voice, not daring to hop as he usually did. After eleven steps he collided with a thin vertical pole that felt a lot like Crane's leg. He felt the bird stiffen.

"Mantis, please tell me that was you."

"It's me." Mantis replied. "What, are you scared of ghosts?"

"No! Stop messing around and figure out where we are!"

"Alright, alright…" Mantis turned around on the spot to gaze at his surroundings. There was nothing but pitch black nothingness. "Do you think we should split up?"

"Certainly not!" Crane replied. "We may never be able to find each other again!"

"Then stay still till I find your shoulder!" Mantis retorted irritably. After three hops he managed to find purchase on Crane's narrow feathered shoulder. It wasn't exactly Monkey's broad, easy to rest on shoulder, but until they saw daylight again it would have to do.

"Okay, let's try and find a wall or something." Crane said, and walked forward, holding his wings out in front of him.

Mantis gripped Crane's shoulder with his arms out of fear, eyes staring straight ahead even thought he could see nothing. Never had he imagined that the simple act of walking could be so scary. At that moment, he felt like a stray child who had foolishly wandered into an abandoned tunnel. He wondered if Crane felt the same.

Child.

Mantis let out a yell that made Crane flinch.

"GAH! Crane!"

"What?!"

"Where's Su?!"

* * *

Su's injured knee throbbed as she stood up.

"Owww…" Su muttered as she turned around on the spot, trying to find the tiniest pinprick of light in the scary darkness.

Judging from the lack of broken bones, she hadn't fallen very far. She couldn't say the same for Masters Crane and Mantis. She had heard their cries fade into nothingness moments before she blacked out from her fall. She must have fallen onto a ledge or something that kept her from falling deeper with the others.

"Mantis?" She spoke timidly. "Crane?"

Even thought she had whispered, the darkness amplified her voice until it was almost a shout. Su didn't like the darkness. She hated how it blinded her, and often imagined scary monsters lurking in the darkness. What she wouldn't give for the little lantern her parents always hung from their front porch when night fell.

"Please be okay." She whispered, and felt the ground with her paws. It was cold like metal. It  _was_  metal. The cub slowly crawled forward.

"Mantis?" She called. Her voice became an echo. "Mister Crane?"

There was no answer.

Su continued to crawl. She slowly put one paw in front of the other, the metal floor or whatever she had landed on smooth and cold beneath her palms. She wanted her mother. Her elbow brushed against something narrow and made of metal. Su felt for the object. She recognized the shape. She quickly grabbed the spyglass and resumed crawling.

Suddenly her paw landed on nothing. Su stiffened. She had reached the edge of whatever she had fallen on. Carefully, she felt for the edge with her paws. It wasn't straight or smooth. It was curved, and lined in what appeared to be thick spikes.

What the heck had she landed on? It couldn't be a balcony or ledge. The rest of the fortress didn't have this kind of architecture.

_Wait, what was it I heard Mantis and Crane talk about when I was coming into the room? Something about the machinery going down through the floor? Come to think of it, these spikes feel a lot like cogs._

"A gear." Su whispered as realization dawned.

_And a big one. It looks like Mantis and Crane were right about the machinery making up the whole tower. Come to think of it, the floorboards didn't really break when we fell through. It more like… opened. Maybe we stood on a trapdoor or something._

As Su's thought process continued to run, her heart-rate began to slow. Focusing on logic and deduction, two things she thought only adults used, had a calming effect, distracting her from her imagination.

_Of course! That's what the trapdoor's for! It's for maintenance! If all the machinery in this tower is connected, one broken gear could stop the whole system. The trapdoor is probably there so someone can reach the broken part of the system and fix it. The machine room is probably the heart of the system, which is why it has really big gears. And if one of those big gears breaks, they would have to make it easy for someone to reach those gears and replace it. And those big gears would be pretty hard to sabotage, so they wouldn't have to worry about that._

Su smiled, a little proud of herself. Reading the old schematics for the training hall during one hot and boring day had paid off after all.

_But none of this explains what the system is for. Oh well, I can worry about that later. I should probably get out of here first and try to help Crane and Mantis somehow._

Su remembered how all the little cogs of the gears meshed together in the machinery below the twisting wooden serpents of Tigress's favorite stage of the training course.

_If I can find the gear this one's connected with, I might be able to find a way out from there._

Su gripped the edge of the gear with her paws and began shuffling along. It wasn't long before her fingers came into contact with a second line of cogs, meshed with the first.

Su swallowed.

"Okay… you can do this…" Why was she whispering? "It's just like a climbing frame…"

Suddenly she felt the spyglass slip for beneath her arm. She reached out blindly, but there was a small scraping sound as it rolled across the surface and over the edge. Four seconds passed before she heard a tiny clatter below.

"A hundred foot tall climbing frame,  _crap!_ " Su muttered.

Terror slowed her movements, but eventually Su managed to safely traverse to the next gear. She crawled towards what she hoped was the center. Sure enough she felt a thick pole and wrapped her arms around it, breathing heavily. It was bad enough that she was having to do this so high up, but in the dark…

"Yeah, maybe I'll get lucky and  _fall_!"


	51. Luck

Monkey found the Yeti just as the sun began to rise, turning the sky a pale yellow.

Since leaving the fortress, he had found a trail leading from a spot that was relatively close to the scene of the medic's murder, obviously the creature's route of escape. The tracks were larger than a gorilla's, and spaced far apart, the work of a very fast runner. Judging from the speed indicated by the large gaps between the tracks, the Yeti had either been chasing something or trying to get away. Monkey couldn't decide which, not that it mattered.

He had followed the trail into the wilderness for two hours before it came to a halt at the edge of a rocky slab of land devoid of snow that the Yeti had surely crossed, except the trail did not resume on the other side. Instead it moved upwards, up a cliff overlooking the flat rock. Snow had collected on the craggy surface, and in some places it had been disturbed. Such telltale signs would have been insignificant if not for years of training in the skill of tracking down your enemies.

Monkey had ascended the cliff and once again found himself following the tracks, which were now closer together. The Yeti had slowed its pace. Now that it had put a good distance between itself and the fortress, it felt that it no longer needed to be on its guard. It felt safe.

Monkey would soon prove that murderer wrong.

He gripped the handle of one of his father's swords and kept walking.

Was it his imagination, or was the wind getting stronger?

The ground had gradually sloped upwards, becoming steeper and steeper as he walked. Soon he found himself climbing once again. One or twice he had turned his head and saw the fortress far below. Most of the flickering lights had gone out.

Climbing the mountain had been unusually dangerous work. The twinkling stars in the night sky had offered no illumination, and he had not dared to light a lamp, just in case the Yeti turned its head, spotted the light in the distance, and realized it was being followed.

His swords bumped against his thighs. The reloadable crossbow clattered on his back. He had slowed his pace slightly to lessen the noise.

At some point he had realized that he had no hope of catching up with the Yeti any time soon. It had two hours head start, and had the speed of Tigress hyped up on catnip. The best he could hope for was that the Yeti would lead him straight to its lair.

Eventually he had given in to fatigue and sat down on a boulder. He thought of Po and the others, and wondered what they were doing right now. Were they figuring out a plan of action, or had they already gone after him? If they had done the former, there was nothing Monkey could do about it. Except of course kill the Yeti before his friends caught up with him. He knew that the moment he had left the fortress, he had put himself in the biggest trouble ever.

If the Yeti didn't kill him, then Master Shifu surely would.

Monkey had quickly pushed those thoughts aside and set his mind alight of thoughts of the justice he would visit upon the Yeti.

And that was when the sun first emerged and Monkey looked up and saw the Yeti moving down the mountain in his direction.

Monkey practically flung himself from the boulder and lodged himself in a small crack in the stone close by. He heard the Yeti's footsteps, surprisingly soft as it neared his location. It couldn't be more than thirty feet away, and it was getting closer.

Monkey's pulse quickened. He remembered the stone spike protruding from his father's chest. The murderer was close… so close… finally his chance had come.

The crossbow was stuck behind him, and there was no space to reach behind himself and grab it. Instead, Monkey slowly pulled out one of his dao swords, desperately trying to make as little noise as possible. His only chance of success was the element of surprise.

Suddenly he saw it.

The Yeti stopped right in front of the small crack, its back to its vengeful stalker, instead looking out at the sky. It had probably sensed something. Whether or not it was Monkey, at that moment he didn't care. All he cared about was the sword in his hands, and the center of the Yeti's back where its spine was located. Monkey's target.

_One…_  he counted in his head. He braced his legs in preparation to leap from his hiding place…  _two…_  he pushed up from the ground…

And didn't move an inch.

_What the-_

The Yeti turned its attention to the ground in front of it. It was about to start moving again.

Monkey took one hand from the sword and gripped the side of the crack. He pushed with all his might. There was a slight scraping sound as the prod (or cross) of the crossbow caught against the rough surface of the rock.

Monkey couldn't believe it. He was stuck.

The Yeti started walking at an unusually fast pace, in seconds disappearing from sight.

_Of all the rotten-_

"No, no, no!" Monkey pulled himself free of the crossbow's strap and leapt out of the crack, but already knew he was too late. The Yeti was now seventy feet away. The element of surprise had been lost.

"Darnit!" If he didn't hurry he would lose it. Quickly, Monkey turned back to the crack and grabbed the wedged in crossbow. After two tugs the crossbow came free, scraped in several places put perfectly useable. Monkey once more strapped the weapon to his back and set off after the Yeti, his mind numbed to all but rage.

* * *

Po blew on his paws, his breath coming out in clouds of mist. He thought he had been imagining it before, but it seemed much colder down in the crevasse that it was outside. Once again he thanked Master Eagle Jr. for advising him to take a coat. If he hadn't he would probably be shivering right now.

"How's your leg, Tigress?" He asked. It must have been ten minutes since he had persuaded her to top for a rest.

"A lot better." Tigress said, her eyes gazing into the lantern in front of them. "But Viper's been left alone for too long. Five more minutes and we'll get moving."

"Okay." Po replied.

He noticed vivid shadows dancing on the walls and turned his attention to the lantern.

"Brilliant." He heard Tigress mutter. "First Monkey runs off, then we get stuck in a crevasse and now the bloody lantern's going out."

"Not for long." Po replied.

"What are you smiling for?" Tigress demanded. The cold was beginning to make her irritable.

"Tigress, do you remember the private lessons I had with Shifu since finding inner peace?"

"Yes. How does that help us with our current situation?"

In answer, Po lifted the lantern. With his other paw, he stuck out his index finger and stared hard at the black furry digit… and Tigress gasped slightly as it began to glow a faint gold.

"Po, is that-"

"Hero's Chi." Po said with a twinge of pride. Tigress was amazed, and he knew it. He stuck the glowing finger into the lantern, and suddenly it seemed to glow brighter than ever. When Po removed his finger, the golden glow was gone.

"I thought you ran out of Hero's Chi during your battle with Ke Pa!" Tigress exclaimed.

"I thought so too, until Shifu told me that even if I use all of it up, my body can recharge a small amount of it using my life energy. That small amount of energy was what Ke Pa used to remove the demon seal before the peach tree sapling recharged it to mega-awesomeness!"

"Po, I find it harder to understand when you use words like that."

"Sorry. Anyway, as it turns out when you have inner peace you can use the Heroes Chi to perform some magical techniques, though I can't use it all the time. Don't ask how it works, 'cause I don't have a clue."

"That's amazing." Tigress replied. "What have you learned so far?"

"Well, aside from lighting up candles, I…" Po paused. "Come to think of it, that's all I know. This stuff's harder to learn than it sounds."

Tigress didn't reply, so the pair sat in silence for some time, the air warmer thanks to the replenished lantern.

"Po, I owe you an apology."

"Why?"

"I've been pretty hard on you since we left the fortress and… well, I'm sorry."

"Tigress, it's okay. You're just worried about Monkey. We all are."

"It's not just that." Tigress took a deep breath, deciding that she might as well just say it. "I'm worried about Shifu."

"I already know that." Po said, but with understanding. "You're still mad at him, aren't you?"

"I'm not mad!" Tigress said quickly. "I mean, I was at first… It's just that…" She sighed. "It's just that for as long as I can remember, our relationship has always been master and student. Ever since he took me from that orphanage. I was only ever allowed to call him 'Master', and the only time we played together was when we played checkers. I only understood why when Master Oogway told me about Tai Lung. Since then I've found it a lot easier to forgive him, because who wouldn't freeze their heart after having it broken so badly? So I'm not really angry, Po. I'm just… scared."

"Scared?" Po shifted himself so that he was directly facing Tigress.

"Basically, the reason why I'm not angry is because Oogway had practically told me that the only reason Shifu was like that was because of Tai Lung. But now that Tai Lung is gone, things have changed. Shifu praises our efforts a lot more than he had done two years ago. he even eats with us in the morning."

"So, he's unfrozen his heart!" Po replied cheerfully. "Doesn't that mean you can turn your relationship to father and daughter now?"

"That's why I'm scared." Tigress replied. "I know deep down that I  _want_  to, but I don't know if I  _should_. I don't even know  _how_. There's the issue with teacher-favoritism, for one thing. There's also the gap that has been between us for twenty years. There's so much we can lose if it goes wrong. I wasn't sure if Shifu himself wanted to change things between us. So when you implied that Shifu was trying to be more fatherly toward me, I didn't know what to think."

"So you freaked out." Po said, understanding at last. There were no words to describe how relieved he felt at that moment, and it took all the Hero's Chi he could muster not to grin like a little kid.

"I'm sorry I took it out on you, Po." Tigress said.

"It's okay. I get it now." Po replied. He took a chance and put an arm around Tigress's shoulders. She showed no reaction, though deep down she welcomed the extra warmth. "Tell you what, once this is all over we'll find out for ourselves if Shifu really does want to change things for the better. Then with luck you'll be able to figure out what to do from there. Whaddya say?"

"Deal." Tigress replied without hesitation. Her confession and Po's reaction were like thick arms lifting a massive weight from her chest. Po had been doing that to her a lot lately. "Alright, our five minutes are up. Let's get moving."

Po was the first to stand up.

"Are you okay to get up by yourself?" Po asked.

Normally Tigress would be offended, but she knew he was just concerned about her leg.  
"I'm fine, Po." She said. "It doesn't hurt anymore." She stood up to prove it.

Po picked up the lantern and they resumed walking.

"Do you think we should shout up to Viper and let her know we're still okay?" Po asked.

"We might cause a cave in if we do." Tigress replied. "We should probably keep our voices down."

"Good idea." Po replied. "Hey, I think it's getting lighter up ahead!"

He picked up the pace, dragging Tigress along by the paw.

Sure enough, they could see light up ahead.

"Yes! Tigress, we made it! Come let's get out of-"

"Po, look out!"

"WAAAAHHH!"

Po skidded to a halt right before he would have gone over the edge of the pit that had suddenly materialized out of nowhere. He teetered on the edge, arms flailing wildly.

"Ga, ga, ga, gagagagagaga-"

Tigress grabbed his shoulders and pulled him away from the ledge.

"Phew!" Po breathed out. "Nice save, Tigress."

"Don't mention it." Tigress said, and turned her attention to the pit. "Well this was unexpected."

The pit covered the entire floor of the caverns ahead, and looked to be about a hundred feet long. A narrow, twisting bridge of ice and rock stretched across the abyss like a massive white snake. The pit was too dark to determine how far the panda would have fallen.

"Is the universe  _trying_  to make our lives hell?" Po muttered.

"Probably." Tigress replied. "That ice bridge looks like it was formed naturally."

"Really? Looks more like the work of some lousy sculptor."

"Is there a difference?"

Po thought about that for a moment.

"No."

"That ice bridge looks safe enough."

"Famous last words."

Po didn't bother arguing. Tentatively, he put his foot onto the very beginning of the ice bridge. Instantly there was a small cracking sound. Whether or not it was merely the sound of his foot pressing down on the frozen ground or something scarier he wasn't sure.

"Why don't we do this one at a time?" Tigress asked.

"Good idea." Po said. He stepped forward with his other foot. He was now completely on the bridge.

"Keep going." Tigress said. "We've got to get back to Viper. Be careful."

Po nodded. Slowly, cautiously, he began to walk. The ice continued to make ominous cracking sounds as he moved along the bridge, but showed no signs of collapsing. Once or twice he turned his head to look back at Tigress. She was still standing at the edge, looking on anxiously. A quarter of the way through, Po's heart began to slow down. The bridge was strong. Everything was fine. He actually started to grin.

"Huh, this is no big deal!" He said after a few seconds' tense silence. "Tigress, come on out! This bridge is-"

_Crack._

"Why am I not surprised?" Po finished.

"Po, get out of there!" Tigress shouted as the first bits of ice began to break away.

Po took off like a shot, arms pumping as the sound of ice and rock breaking apart grew louder and more chaotic. The thunderous sound seemed to be chasing him as he ran, but he didn't dare look back to see what was going on. It sounded like the entire cavern was collapsing.

Just like the far end of the bridge was as he neared it.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, nonononononono-" Po leapt for his life. Time seemed to speed up as he flew through the freezing air.

And then his feet hit solid ground.

He had made it!

_Sort of._

When Po looked down, he saw that he had landed precisely on one of the biggest stalagmites he had ever seen. The tip had broken off when the bridge collapsed, allowing Po to balance himself with both feet.

"Thank god for all that Jade Tortoise of Wisdom training." Po said to himself as the thunderous noise behind him slowly eased into silence. Whatever destructive force had caused the bridge to collapse so violently had passed.

Holding his arms out for balance, Po looked to the edge of the pit in front of him. It was five feet away.

"Po!" He heard Tigress shout from somewhere far behind him. "Po, talk to me!"

She sounded panicked, so Po spoke straight away.

"I'm OK!" Po yelled. "But you won't believe where I am now!"

"Stay there and I'll come to you!"

Po didn't bother asking Tigress how she was going to do that now that the bridge was gone. Being Tigress, she always found a solution.

Sure enough, he heard her grunts of exertion, gradually growing closer as she somehow made her way across the pit.

"Tigress what are you doing?"

"Don't talk. Just keep your balance and let me concentrate."

Po kept quiet. A moment later an orange and red blur flew past his head and landed on all fours on the far edge.

"Okay, that was awesome!" Po yelled. He swayed slightly on the stalagmite.

Tigress straightened up and took in Po's predicament. The panda saw her fighting not to smile.

"You didn't even see what I did." She replied.

"Don't need to." Po merely said. "A little help, please?"

"Just jump. I'll catch you if you don't make it." Tigress replied.

" _If I don't make it?_ " Po said. "Gee, thanks for telling me there's a good chance I'm gonna fall to my death."

"Just jump."

Po bent his knees, then leapt from the stalagmite. His feet reached the every edge of the pit, and Tigress grabbed his arms and pulled him towards her before he could lose his balance.

"Oof!" Po exhaled as he collided with her body, knocking them both backwards one step. "Thanks, Tigress."

He then realized his arms were wrapped around her, and he quickly let go.

"How many times are you going to hug me, Po?" Tigress asked. There was a faint redness to her cheeks.

"Errr…" Po hesitated.

"You know what, don't answer that!" Tigress replied quickly.

"Okay!" Po replied, and turned around to face the pit.

His jaw dropped. The pit was unrecognizable. Not only had the bridge collapse, massive pieces of the walls had fallen, and wedged themselves in between the opposite sides of the cavern. Tiny bits of snow, ice and rock occasionally rain down from the ceiling.

"Did I do that?" Po asked meekly.

Tigress shrugged beside him.

"Who knows?"


	52. Stray Child

"You mean up there?!"

Po stared up at the naturally formed shaft of ice, squinting from the beam of daylight that shone down on him and Tigress.

" _There?!_ "

Though obviously narrow enough to shimmy upward with their hands and feet, the shaft looked like it was a hundred feet up.

" _UP THERE?!_ "

Tigress lightly tapped Po on the back of his head before he could start panicking.

"Yes, up there." She said calmly. "This is the end of the tunnel and there's no other way out. Unless of course you want to cross the pit again and take your chances in the other direction."

Po stood rooted to the spot, grumbling under his breath, before he replied.

"Noooo…" He said.

Tigress shook her head and jerked her head in the direction of the shaft.

"After you."

* * *

Monkey had no idea how long he had been silently pursuing the Yeti down the side of the mountain.

Weighted down by the crossbow and dual sword, the primate was having trouble keeping up. The Yeti wasn't exactly running, but it was moving at a quick pace. The only explanation Monkey could come up with was that it was in a hurry. Perhaps it sensed something coming its way, a storm perhaps. There was no doubt now that the wind was getting more aggressive, and there was no way it had sensed Monkey's presence.

If it had, the snow would stained red with blood by now.

At one point, the Yeti stopped in its tracks, and Monkey felt his heart skip a beat. He gripped the handles of the swords, preparing for a fight. Instead, the Yeti simply knelt down and picked up a long narrow stone that resembled a stick. It examined it for several seconds. At a distance of forty feet Monkey couldn't tell what was so important about it. All he could make out what that the stone didn't look naturally formed. It had smooth edges and sharp corners. One end had been sharpened down into a point. The work of a stone carver. Suddenly the Yeti stood up, tucked the stick-like stone into its belt, and resumed its journey. Monkey set off in pursuit.

Through his hatred, Monkey felt oddly impressed at the way the Yeti maneuvered over the rough landscape. There was grace and precision in its movements, as if it knew the mountain like the back of its massive hand. Which it probably did. Once it unexpectedly jumped over a flat stretch of snow without losing momentum, which upon Monkey's close examination turned out to conceal a crevasse.

Sometime after the discovery of the crevasse, Monkey suddenly realized that they were heading in the general direction of the fortress.

_Hell._

If the Yeti had indeed finally decided to attack the fortress directly, someone was going to get killed.

_Po. Mantis! Master Shifu!_

Monkey reached for his crossbow. He couldn't let that monster reach the fortress and cause havoc. He had to end things, right here, right now. Even if it meant that he himself would get killed in the process.

His other hand reached for the crossbow strap across his chest…

And froze when the Yeti suddenly stopped in front of an unremarkable boulder twice its size and draped in thick white snow.

Monkey stayed where he was, one hand still on the crossbow and the other still on the strap.

The Yeti reached out and brushed away the snow from the face of the boulder-

No, not boulder.  _Building._

A pair of stone doors was quickly unveiled as the creature continued to brush away the snow. The doors were covered in ancient carvings depicting a group of sturdy looking large creatures kneeling before a central figure that had been carved to look like it was on fire.

"What in gods name…" Monkey started, then quickly silenced himself.

The Yeti stopped brushing away snow once the door was fully revealed, and pulled out the narrow stone it had acquired earlier. After a moment's pause, it jammed the pointed end into the crack between the two doors and forced them open.

"So that's what you wanted it for." Monkey muttered.

Those doors looked like they would have opened if the Yeti just used its hands. Why use a stupid stone?

The Yeti stepped inside and pulled the doors shut.

Monkey ran forward and put his ear up to the door.

He heard a cold voice on the other side.

"Stay out of my way."

Then silence.

Monkey scowled and pulled at the doors.

They didn't budge.

Monkey pulled harder.

No movement.

Monkey's heart sank.

The door didn't feel so heavy he couldn't move it. It was being stopped by something. Like a bar.

The long stone.

Monkey slammed his fist on the door.

"You knew I was there all along, didn't you?!" He shouted. If the Yeti was still there, it didn't answer.

Monkey pounded his fist again and stepped back from the door.

"You want to play like that huh?" He growled. He pulled out a small dagger from his belt and fingered the blade.

It was time to show that murderer what kind of opponent it was dealing with.

* * *

Su gripped the wooden pole tightly, her small feet shaking at the very edge of the gear.

"Okay…" She said. "Here… we… go!"

She stepped off the gear.

At once, her paws began to slide down the pole at a scary speed, her legs dangling beneath her in the darkness. Su held on tight, praying that her paws wouldn't start to sweat. For an eternity she descended into the abyss.

And then her feet hit the hard cold floor.

"Great. So far, so good"

It wasn't until she let go of the pole that she realized how steep the floor was.

With a squeal Su lost balance and fell backward, landing hard on her back. In seconds she was sliding head first down an invisible slide, unable to see where she was going.

Su opened her mouth to scream, but before the sound could come out the slide disappeared. She fell for one second before she hit the floor with a soft thud.

At first she just lay there in the silence and darkness. And then the soreness came and she moaned.

"I hate heights." She said. "They're the worst."

She got up. At least she wasn't hurt.

" _Atchoo!_ " She sneezed unexpectedly. She rubbed her nose, and the bottom of her paw brushed against something light and fluffy. It was caught in the collar of her tunic, had been tickling her nose when she was getting up.

Su pulled out the object, and when she held it in her paw she realized what it was.

"A feather?" She muttered. "Crane's feather! He and Mantis fell down here!" She looked out into the darkness, as if she were expecting to see them. "Crane? Mantis?"

Neither of them answered.

Su gulped. Her heart was racing. She wished she had never stowed away in that cart.

"I can't stay here." She eventually said. "No way but forward." She started walking slowly. For how long it was impossible to tell. At some point her foot glanced the fallen spyglass that had miraculously survived its fall. Su picked it up and clutched it to her small body, feeling some relief as she continued to walk.

"So this is how it feels to be all alone in the darkness." Su said to herself in a sing song voice. "Man, it sucks. It sucks. I hate this. A stay arrow in the training hall I can deal with. But a stray child? If I ever have kids, I'm gonna make sure they never become stray children. Ever."

She was babbling, but babbling was better than no sound at all.

_Bump._

Su had reached a flat stone wall.

At first she felt dismay that her path was blocked. Then she realized this wall might be what she needed. If she felt along the wall, she may come across a door or passage. Maybe even a set of stairs! Immediately Su reached out with one paw, her other still clutching the spyglass, and started walking along the wall at a snail's pace.

Eventually she began to sing. It was a soft little lullaby her mother always sang to her, and she could remember it like she remembered her own name.

"The moon is bright, the wind is quiet,

The tree leaves hand over the window,

My little baby, go to sleep quickly,

Sleep, dreaming sweet dreams.

The moon is bright, the wind is quiet,

The cradle moving softly,

My little one, close your eyes,

Sleep, sleep, dreaming sweet dreams."

She was about to repeat the song when the sound of scraping rock make her blood freeze.

She opened her mouth to call for Crane and Mantis, but stopped herself. Something was telling her that making a sound was a very bad idea.

The scraping sound stopped and then Su could see light emanating from an opening in the wall that had opened up right next to where she was standing. The light was getting bright, and Su saw a shadow in the glow. A massive shape that she had seen before in a burning building.

The cub clapped her paws to her mouth before she could start screaming and flattened herself against the wall as best as she could, clutching both her lucky coin and the spyglass like they were stuffed animals.

And then the Yeti emerged, holding a red lotka paper lantern.

Su bit her lip behind her paws as she fought to keep from whimpering. She felt her eyes watering. The scariest monster she had ever seen was literally three feet in front of her.

It held the lantern up, illuminating the edge of the slope she had slid down earlier. Then it turned and made its way through the darkness. As it moved, the light briefly illuminated gears of various sizes and other parts of the machinery that was currently still and silent.

Su slowly lowered her paws.

She had to make a decision.

Either she could let the Yeti leave with the only source of light around and try to find a way out on her own, or she could follow it and hope it would lead her to an exit.

Su remembered the terror she had felt when she first opened her eyes to pitch darkness, and made her decision.

The cub took a deep breath and followed.

* * *

When Po poked his head out of the top of the shaft, he had never felt so glad to see the light of day in his life.

The panda quickly pulled the rest of his body out the hole so Tigress get through, and looked out at his surroundings. There was no familiarity in the frozen landscape.

He heard a grunt behind him as Tigress pulled herself out the shaft.

"We made it." She said. "Now where the hell are we?"

"I can't see Viper, anywhere." Said Po.

"She probably did the smart thing and stayed where she was." Tigress replied. "Let's not waste any more time. We should find our way back to her."

Po nodded in agreement.

* * *

The Yeti stopped in front of what at first appeared to be a plain stone wall. It raised its lantern, and Su realized that it was the bottom of another slide, which according to her sense of direction was exactly parallel to the other slide.

 _Maybe this slide leads up to the second tower._  Su thought. She stayed some distance back, away from the edge of the lantern's bubble of light.

As she looked on, the Yeti raised a hand and pressed on a single brick in the very center of the wall. Then it stepped out of the way as an entire column of bricks began to push themselves out of the wall. Before Su's eyes a staircase was formed, leading up to the slope, which in the lantern's light had now become a set of stairs itself.

"Wow…" Su whispered as loud as she dared.

The Yeti made its way up the stairs, the bubble of light growing smaller and higher as it ascended.

It wasn't until the light was the size of a plate that Su gathered the courage to begin climbing the steps herself.

* * *

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Mantis asked skeptically.

"It's a ramp, isn't it?" Crane growled with exertion as he climbed upwards through the abyss. How in god's name he was managing it even he himself did not know. He had no idea what he was using for footholds. All he knew was that Su was lost somewhere in this godforsaken place and he and Manti had to find her.

Speaking of Mantis, the bug was still clinging to Crane's shoulder and continuously voicing his concerns that they were going the wrong way. His incessant worries and questions weren't helping the avian's concentration, and he was  _this_  close to telling Mantis to stick an unmentionable in his gob.

"Su!" Mantis called out. When he received no reply, he asked; "What if she's knocked out?"

"Then it would be hopeless to look for her in this darkness." Crane said. "We stand a better chance of finding her if we find a way out and come back with lights."

"Shifu's gonna kill us when he finds out."

"I know that."

"He'll make a table ornament out of my hide."

"So what?"

"He'll make a feather hat out of yours."

"Shut up, Mantis!"

"Sorry."

That was when Crane's foot somehow hit solid- and flat- ground.

"I think we've reached the top." He said.

Making sure Mantis was still with him, Crane continued on, relieved that he was once again walking on normal flooring. At least until he bumped into a wall.

"Darnit!" As it seemed, Mantis had hit the wall head first. "Now what?"

"Hang on…" Crane tapped the wall. Just as he thought, it was hollow. "Mantis, would you care to do the honors?"

"Anything to get out of this place!"

Crane felt Mantis leap from his shoulder and- CRASH!

Light exploded in Crane's face as the wall in front of him came crashing down in a cascade of bricks and rubble. When the dust settled, Crane carefully stepped over the pile of rock and blinked in the light of a nearby lantern.

"I told you we were going the wrong way!" Mantis exclaimed.

Crane's jaw dropped as he saw the countless crates that filled the massive hall of the left hand tower. The tower that was clear on the other side of the fortress.

"How the hell did we get up here?!" Crane said to himself.

"Who cares?" Mantis demanded. He was standing on one of the bigger crates. "Let's tell Shifu what happened so we can get a search party down there to find Su!"

"Okay." Crane said.

They made their way through the maze of crates and barrels, all the while hoping that Su was alright stayed that way until they found her, until Mantis suddenly stopped.

"Hey Crane! Check this out!"

"Mantis, we don't have time for-" Crane stopped when he saw the small pile of barrels tucked securely in between two big crates.

"Powder kegs?" He spoke. "I thought all the powder kegs had been destroyed in the fire."

"Look at the dust." Mantis replied. "These were here long before the explosion. They were probably never stored in the other building."

"Yet the wood looks almost brand new." Crane said. "That means they came here along with the rest of the army's supplies."

"Then Tujiu would have known about this. That jerk's a compulsive liar, I'm sure of it."

Crane was about to comment that no-one had seen Tujiu since the destruction of his private study when the world suddenly turned upside down.

_What the heck?!_

It took a moment for Crane to realize that something was dangling him five feet in the air by the legs, and judging from the size of the hand gripping him, it wasn't Mantis.

"Oh sugar honey ice-"


	53. Grudge

"Is everything going smoothly in the foundry?" Xian asked.

"Weapon production is well underway." Shifu replied. "We've got enough material to arm a hundred men."

"Let us hope that will be enough. What news from the scouts?"

"They haven't returned yet."

"What's the progress with the defenses?"

"There has been a sentry posted on every square inch on the outer wall."

"We'll need ballistas up there. Ordinary crossbows won't be enough."

"Understood."

"Did you move Di Tan and the injured into the guestrooms as I asked?"

"Yes."

"Good. Have Crane and Mantis not returned with Su, yet?"

"No, they should be back by now. I've sent two men to check on them."

"Any sign of Tujiu or Colonel Sao?"

"None, I'm afraid. They've both either fled or are hidden somewhere in this fortress."

"Damn." Xian snarled. "The coward probably plans to run for it once things go to hell."

The emperor and the grandmaster scanned the plans of the fortress between them. They had found the plans while cleaning up the destroyed study, safely tucked into a thick crate in the corner while nearly everything else had been turned to ash.

Aside from the central tower and the two smaller towers on both sides, there were four sentry towers made entirely of stone, each one stationed at the four corners of the outer wall. The plan was for a catapult to be place at the top of each tower, and each catapult would be manned by a team of four men.

Also at this very moment, the construction of a more than a dozen 'huts' was underway in the massive courtyard of the fortress. It was an unusual but hopefully effective plan of Xian's intended to use the Yeti's size against it. Each hut was made of a combination of stone and wood, thirty feet long, fifteen feet wide and eight feet high. While the huts would serve to shelter the soldiers, they would also help to turn the tables in the soldiers' favor should a battle commence. The huts had been carefully designed to ensure that the Yeti would have difficulty moving about in the confined space, allowing the numerous and smaller soldiers a chance to overpower it.

With luck.

"This is ridiculous." Shifu muttered.

"I beg your pardon?" Xian asked.

"With the defenses we're setting in place, you'd think we were fighting against a whole army."

"Well, we are." Xian smiled grimly. "A one man army who has been one step ahead of us ever since we stepped foot into this cursed place."

"You said that Su may have figured out a way to find its hiding place."

"Yes. It's unbelievable, I know."

"I thought the same thing when Po was chosen as the Dragon Warrior."

"At this rate, I will never find anything surprising about pandas again."

"You said it."

The two men paused.

They locked eyes for a long time.

"Master Shifu, I want to ask you something." Xian spoke. "What if…" He broke eye contact. "What if it turns out we can't win this? What do we do then?"

"Let's not dwell on that, just yet." Shifu replied.

At that moment the door opened, and in stepped Eagle Jr.

"Emperor Xian, I have some bad news." He said.

"What is it?"  
"We've searched everywhere for Tujiu and the colonel. No sign of them."

"Let's hope they don't do anything stupid. What's the real bad news?" Shifu asked.

"The scouts have just returned. That snow storm hasn't changed course or dissipated. We've probably got about an hour, two at most before it hits. If your students aren't back by then they probably won't survive the night."

There was silence as the news sunk in.

"What about Monkey?" Shifu asked.

"If your students haven't found him by now, we'll just have to pray he found shelter."

Shifu pinched the bridge of his nose. His students could be anywhere in the mountains by now, and they probably aren't even aware that a storm was on the way. If they are not warned in time…

"Master Eagle Jr., find Su and bring her here. It's time to find out what she has to tell us."

Eagle Jr. bowed and left the room.

Shifu saw Xian's questioning look.

"If they remembered what we know about this creature so far, Po and the others will most likely be searching for Monkey in the western area of the mountain. The same area where the Yeti's lair most likely to be located."

"And?"

"And that means there is a chance that my students may either come across this lair or stray near it."

"So you want Su to help us find the lair, so we can use it as a starting point to find your students and warn them about the storm." Xian said, understanding almost immediately. "Even if this works, how can you be sure your students will be able to get back to the fortress in time?"

"I don't. But Tigress is a smart girl. If they can't make it back, she'll think of something."

* * *

"Face it, Tigress." Po said as he rubbed his aching feet. "We're lost."

"We can't be lost!" Tigress retorted. Unlike Po, she wasn't resting.

"Tigress, this area doesn't resemble anything on the map. We're lost."

"We can't be!" Po had never seen Tigress so distressed. She was staring at the map as if she were expecting it to come alive.

"Geez, calm down." He said. "Viper can take care of herself."

"Not in the middle of a storm, she can't!"

"What?" Po stood up.

"Po, the wind is picking up. It's getting stronger and colder by the minute. In case you're not getting it yet, a storm is coming."

"Aw man." Po moaned. "If Viper gets caught in it…"

"She's a reptile. It will kill her!"

"Okay, I get your point now. Where do you suppose we start looking?"

"The crevasse we travelled through was relatively straight. We might be able to find her if we follow the opposite direction we came through underground."

"A good idea. Once we find Viper we should find a cave or something."

Tigress didn't reply. She was already setting off across the landscape.

"Hey, wait up!" Po cried and ran after her.

* * *

"Hold still!" Di Tan scolded as he tightened the fresh bandages around the crocodile soldier's tail. "Goodness gracious, you're worse than my youngest when he gets a splinter!"

The soldier grunted in displeasure, but obediently lessened his struggles. A minute later the bandage had been freshly changed.

"You know, the medic said I was lucky." The soldier said. "If that bit of wood had gone any deeper I would have lost my tail."

Di Tan nodded in agreement.

"Lucky than most others." The soldier continued. There was a different kind of pain in his eyes. "The murders, you know."

"Oh heavens, yes. I heard about that." Di Tan replied. "I'm so sorry about your comrades. I'm guessing that some of them were your friends?"

The soldier nodded.

"Hey, goose…"

"My name is Di Tan."

"Di Tan, sorry." The soldier corrected himself. "What does that monster have against us?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"If you heard the stories, you'll have heard about how all the guys killed were ripped limb from limb. You know, the kind of sick stuff only a demon does."

"Please don't go into details, I have to start preparing dinner soon."

"Okay. Anyway, I witnessed one of the earlier attacks. Me and a few of the guys were hidden behind some rocks, so luckily that thing didn't notice us. But while I was watching it rip those men to bloody pieces, I sensed…" the soldier hesitated, as if he wasn't certain of what he was about to say. "I sensed emotion. There was a lot of anger in that thing's attacks. Like it had a grudge against us."

"A grudge?"

"Di Tan, that creature hates us. It hates us a lot. You've heard the stories. You've seen what it did to us. I don't think that thing is just trying to protect the fortress. It has a score to settle."

Di Tan suddenly realized that his feathers were dampened with perspiration. Whether he liked it or not, the soldier's words made a lot of sense.

He quickly turned his attention back to the bandages.

"These are as tight as they'll be without causing further pain." He said. "Rest well and you'll be back in action in a few days."

The soldier nodded.

Di Tan practically ran from the room and into his own guest room. He poured a cup of water from the bedside jug and sat down on the bed. He took a sip. The water had been standing so long it didn't taste as good as he wanted it to.

_You've heard the stories. You've seen what it did to us. I don't think that thing is just trying to protect the fortress. It has a score to settle._

Di Tan shuddered.

He looked towards the open window.

_What the-_

The dark figure he had seen peeking out the side of the window disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared.

Di Tan leapt from his bed and rushed to the window. He nothing but snow collecting on the stone balcony.

"They're right." He whispered. "This place is cursed."

The wings clutching the cup began to tremble.

* * *

Su watched in horror as the Yeti flung Crane into a pile of barrels with a sickening crash. The pile collapsed like toy bricks, hiding the avian from view. Mantis let out a shout as the Yeti turned its attention to him, and the bug leapt out of sight before it could try to attack.

The panda cub had just reached the top of the stairs and the light of the hole in the wall when she heard Crane cry out, and had just found her way around a stack of crates when she saw the terrifying scene unfold. And all she could do was hide behind the crate pile and watch.

The Yeti didn't go searching for Mantis straight away. Instead it muttered; "Damn, that warrior's probably gone for reinforcements." And turned to the pile of small barrels full of gunpowder. It pulled a large leather sack from its belt and began filling it with powder kegs.

_What are you wanting powder kegs for?_  Su wondered, her intelligent curiosity briefly overcoming her fear.

The collapsed pile of barrels where Crane lay hidden from view was on the other side of the crate pile where Su was hiding. If she was quiet, she could sneak round and see if he was okay.

_I'll go behind the pile, then it won't see me. Man, it looks even bigger than it did in that burning building._

Su gulped. Her heart was racing faster than ever, and it took all her courage to move from her spot behind the crates and start tip-toeing around the pile. When she reached the other side, she heard Crane moan. She froze. The Yeti had probably heard that. Five seconds passed. Su heard nothing that indicated that it had moved from its spot by the powder kegs. Su took a chance and turned her head around the corner.

From her new view of the barrels, she saw the tip of a wing just sticking out from behind the barrels. Su slightly turned her head. The Yeti had its back to them both. Keeping a tight hold on her spyglass, Su ran out from behind the crates and stopped just behind the barrels. She froze again. The Yeti made no movement. She had gone unnoticed.

Su went down on all fours and crawled over to Crane, who was lying sprawled on the stone ground. She reach out and gently shook one shoulder. No movement. Crane was out cold.

_Oh man, what am I gonna do? Mantis, where are_ -

"Hyah!"

Su jerked her head upwards over the pile of barrels.

Mantis had just leapt out of nowhere and struck the Yeti square in the back of the head and fell back to the ground in a combat stance.

"Come and have a go if you think you're big enough!" Mantis yelled.

The Yeti merely shook its head and turned to face him.

"Mantis, no!" Su whispered in pure terror.

The bug didn't hear her. With a yell he shot through the air like an arrow, this time aiming for the Yeti's chest. The second he made contact, he began jabbing at various parts of the Yeti's legs with his forearms.

"Pressure points!" Su whispered, smiling slightly as she realized that the Yeti must surely be disabled… and that was when its hand reached down with similar speed and closed around Mantis before he could retreat.

Su stopped herself from squealing just in time as the Yeti pulled its arm back and flung Mantis at the wall.

_Smack!_

With a tiny groan, Mantis fell from the wall and landed right next to the unconscious Crane.

"Oh man, omanomanomanomanoman…" Su whimpered and crouched back down behind the barrels.

_That monster beat up both Crane and Mantis without even trying! I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die!_

She heard a grunt right above her.

Su let out a single sob.

"Mommy." She whispered.

She slowly stood up and faced it.

It looked even taller up close and towering over her. This was far worse than their last encounter in the burning building. Back then, Su had been dizzy from the smoke, and the Yeti had looked like something her imagination had made up. But here, there was no doubt that it was as real as the air she was hyperventilating now.

The Yeti stared down at her, its eyes glancing every now and then at the two motionless masters behind her. It seemed to be considering what to do with her. Would it kill her like it killed all those soldiers? Or would it deem her too insignificant to bother with? It was holding a very heavy looking large crate under one arm, obviously intended for finishing off the two masters.

Su hiccupped at the sight of the crate, and she clutched the spyglass even tighter. That was when it caught the Yeti's attention.

"Where did you get that?!" It demanded angrily.

"W-What?" Su half-sobbed. She really wanted her mummy and daddy right now.

"Where did you get that spyglass?" It snarled.

"I-In an as-astrol-l-labe!" Su whimpered, unable to do anything but answer at that point.

"Give it to me."

"N-No."

"Give it to me!"

Tears began to stream down Su's cheeks.

"G-Go away!"

"Give me that spyglass and I'll spare you and your friends behind you."

Suddenly something clicked inside Su's head. The Yeti had made that kind of promise before.

"No you won't." This time she didn't sob.

"What did you say?" Su had spoken too softly for the Yeti to hear.

"You won't spare me!" Su snapped. Her tear stained cheeks flushed. Her paws shook as she gripped her spyglass, and it wasn't from terror. "You won't spare any of us! You said you would leave us alone if we left, but then you killed that medic! You lied to Master Po and his friends and you're lying to me right now! You're a liar and a bully and I'm not giving you my spyglass!"

"I don't have time for this!" The Yeti growled and leaned down towards her. "Give me that spyglass or I will take it from you."

In response, Su screamed.

She tilted her head back and let out the loudest, highest scream she could muster.

_Please let someone hear this._

She took a deep breath, about to scream again when a massive hand wrapped around her body, another holding a large finger over her mouth.

"That's enough out of you! Now give me that-"

Before the Yeti could finish, Su summoned all her strength and tossed the spyglass as far away as she could, and heard it clatter somewhere in the distance. She shut her eyes tight and waited for the next thing to happen.


	54. Poison Arrow

The Yeti closed his eyes in frustration.

The cub was shaking like a leaf in his grip, and the two masters were beginning to stir.

The child had flung the spyglass somewhere to the left. If he was quick, maybe he could grab the bag of powder kegs, locate the spyglass and leave-

"It came from up there!" Shouted a voice somewhere down below.

The Yeti growled. The child's attempt to draw attention to herself had worked. He had to leave now.

He released his grip on the girl and retrieved the bag of powder kegs. He turned back to the two masters. It considered the heavy crate it had dropped in its attempt to silence the girl's screams. Just kick it in their direction. Instant death.

And then the voices got louder and finishing the masters off was no longer an option. The Yeti snarled, glanced at the girl one more time, then took off, back through the hole in the wall and down the stairs. He didn't relight his lantern until he reached the bottom. He then pressed a concealed button on the wall and the stairs retreated, once more becoming a smooth steep slope.

The Yeti quickly made his way through the dark corridor until he found the opening in the wall he had entered from. He stepped through and pushed the stone door closed.

There. Now the soldiers couldn't follow him.

The Yeti slowed his pace as he walked through the dark passage.

How did the child of all people solve the astrolabe puzzle? Only the Dragon Empress and a select few other people knew about the contraption's secret purpose. How did a little girl who couldn't be any older than seven work it out?

It didn't matter any more. What mattered was that the artifact that could lead those trespassers right to the lost city was in their hands. Maybe they knew how to use it, maybe not. But when the time to attack came he would have to track that child down and take back what was his.

Yet… he felt no anger towards the child. In fact, he felt some amusement as he remembered how she had stood up to him. He had met veterans of the ancient wars that had shown less courage.

As the Yeti neared the exit, he felt a severe chill coming from the draft seeping through the doors. He probably had a little less than an hour before the storm struck. He had to hurry.

He reached the doors and removed the narrow stone holding them shut. He opened the doors and stepped out.

He felt the slight tug of a tripwire on his shin.

Before the Yeti could react, he heard the  _twang_  of a crossbow and then a  _thunk_  as the arrow slammed into his shoulder.

The Yeti snarled in pain and pulled out the arrow, taking a piece of his fur with it. The arrow had been no more harmful than a pinprick, but almost at once the Yeti knew something was wrong. His vision was beginning to blur around the edges.

Poison.

The arrow had been dipped in poison. Whoever set the trap was shooting to kill, and the Yeti suspected that he knew who it was.

Despite the slight dizziness, the Yeti spotted a yellow shape leaping down from his hiding place behind a rock and pulling out a crossbow from a lower gap between two rocks. The primate reloaded the crossbow and fired.

This time the Yeti was ready. He twisted his torso sideways, and the arrow missed and lodged itself in the rock behind him.

The primate paused to reload again, and the Yeti quickly took the time to pull out a tiny bottle. Having dealt with imperial soldiers countless times in the past, he had extensive knowledge of the weapons the army used, including the poisons they dipped their arrows into to ensure fatality.

The Yeti took a few drops of the antidote and almost immediately his vision cleared. Just at the primate readied his crossbow and took aim, the Yeti turned around, grabbed the protruding end of the arrow in the rock, and flung it in his direction like a throwing knife.

* * *

Whoever said time stood still ought to be tossed off the highest cliff into the deepest ocean.

Monkey had barely a second to realize that in firing a second time he had given away his position before he saw the arrow he himself had shot flying right back at him.

With an animalistic screech he flung himself backward, the back of his head hitting the ground as the arrow soared right over his face and disappeared into the distance. Luckily he had kept his grip on the crossbow so it was still in his hands as he leapt to his feet and aimed again.

Two seconds. It had taken Monkey only two seconds to dodge the arrow and recover. But in that time the Yeti had already disappeared. Its footsteps faded into the distance until the world around him was silent once more.

Monkey barely stopped himself from tossing the crossbow down in a rage.

"Darnit! Crap, crap, crap!" He realized he was shouting and stopped himself. The last thing he needed right now was an avalanche.

Twice now the Yeti had outsmarted him. He had never anticipated that the monster possessed the antidote for the poison his arrows were dipped in. He felt sick.  _All that waiting for nothing._

But it wasn't over yet, he reminded himself. It wouldn't be over until either Monkey or his father's killer was dead.

Monkey retrieved the rope he had used as a trip wire and untied the end he had attached to the crossbow's trigger. He folded and tied the rope into a bundle and stuffed it into his pack.

It wasn't until he hoisted the pack back into his shoulders that he noticed the strong wing ruffling his short fur. In his single-minded focus on waiting for the Yeti to re-emerge from its hiding place, he hadn't noticed it until now. It wouldn't be long until the storm hit.

_Darn it. I won't get another chance today. There's not enough time for another attack. But perhaps if I pick up its trail, I might just have time to track it to its lair and head back here before the storm hits. That passage looks like it would make a good shelter. What was that monster doing in there anyway?_

With that in mind, Monkey decided that making sure the passage was indeed safe would be his first priority. Cautiously he slipped through the gap between the two stone doors and entered the darkness. Along the way he picked up the arrow the Yeti had pulled from its shoulder and discarded on the ground. Though the poison was now useless, he would need all the arrows he could get.

* * *

With slightly shaking wings, Di Tan stuffed the pack with snow until it was bursting, tied it closed, and handed it to Master Crane. Crane took the pack with his talons and pressed it to his head.

"Uuuuhhh…" He groaned.

"I don't think I'll bother asking if you're feeling alright." Di Tan said sympathetically. "The medic says that it's unlikely that you have a concussion, but you should take it easy until the throbbing dies down."

"Thanks, doc."

"I'm a chef."

"Oh, right. Sorry."

"Hey, chef. What about me?" Mantis was lying on the floor right next to Crane, legs and arms splayed out as if he were trying to make a snow angel.

"Hang on for just a moment." Di Tan said. He took a second pack, scooped up some more snow from the bucket a soldier had graciously brought up without asking, and a minute later Mantis was groaning under the weight of an ice cold bag roughly his size.

"I'm sorry about this, but whatever the beast did to you has bruised every bone in your body. At least it would have if you weren't a bug."

"Thanks anyway, doc."

"I'm a… whatever." Di Tan sighed. Correcting two beaten up boys every five minutes wouldn't be worth the hassle. "Now that you're both feeling a bit better, why don't you properly explain what happened? I'll relay it to Master Shifu later."

Ten minutes ago, the aged goose had left his room and stepped outside for some fresh cool air to clear his head after his chilling conversation with the injured soldier. As he pleasantly wandered along the exterior wall of the building, staying out of the way of the soldiers as they busily set up the defenses, Di Tan had heard the scream of a small child coming from the left hand tower. In minutes Master Shifu, Emperor Xian and a dozen men rushed into the building, where they found Masters Crane and Mantis lying dazed among scattered barrels, and Su sitting between them rocking back and forth and hugging her gold coin. The little girl was currently in the kitchen, wrapped in a blanket and sipping sweet tea, explaining to Shifu and Xian what had happened. Master Eagle Jr., meanwhile, had gone with several men into the hole in the wall. Di Tan didn't expect them to return without empty hands.

Crane winced as he told Di Tan about the collapsing floor in the machine room, and their ordeal in the darkness afterwards. He went on to explain about their climb back up the slope, which turned out to be the wrong one, and how they broke down a wall and found themselves in the warehouse, clear on the other side of the fortress.

"We came across some powder kegs in the corner, and the last thing I remember was something grabbing my legs." Crane said. He winced again and pressed the ice pack to his skull.

"Take it easy." Di Tan said, and turned to Mantis. "Mantis, what happened after that?"

All he heard was a muffled sound coming beneath the pack. With another sigh Di Tan lifted the pack off him.

"After that, that thing flung Crane into a pile of barrels, knocking him out cold. I tried taking it down with pressure points but its skin was too thick." Mantis spoke more clearly. "Then it grabbed me and everything went black. When I came too, we were surrounded by soldiers and the Yeti was gone."

"Di Tan, where's Su?" Crane asked. Di Tan smiled slightly at his concern for her.

Sometimes the old goose forgot that kung fu masters were more than just warriors.

"Su's alright. Miraculously we were able to interrupt things before the Yeti could hurt her. She's currently explaining her version of events to your master."

"Oh thank gods…" The two masters looked a little more relaxed.

Di Tan chuckled to himself.

"Boys…" He muttered. "Always trying to make themselves look tougher than they really are."

* * *

"It  _grabbed_  you?!" Xian snarled.

"Yeah." Su said. "It didn't hurt, but it was really scary."

"And what happened after that?"

"The Yeti told me to give him the spyglass again, but I threw it away. The he heard you coming and ran away."

"With a sack of powder kegs?" Shifu asked.

"Yeah. That's the end of the story." Su said. "Can I go to-"

"Just a moment, Su." Shifu said. "You said that the Yeti entered the building through an opening in the wall."

"Yeah. I heard a scraping sound and then I saw him come through a hole in the wall."

"So there may be a secret passage down there." Xian said, sharing a troubled look with Shifu. If it was true, then there was no telling how many passages into the fortress the Yeti could use. "And you followed it up a set of stairs?"

"Yeah. He pressed on a spot on the wall and some stairs appeared." Su said. "I didn't want to be stuck down there so I followed him. Did I do something dumb?"

"No, Su. We would have probably done the same thing." Shifu said. He was impressed that Su had recovered so quickly from such a terrifying experience. She had stopped shaking a few minutes ago, and was now sipping her tea as if she was merely playing with her dolls rather than relaying her encounter with a murderous monster.

"Are you sure you don't want some sweet tea?" Su asked. "There's loads in the pot."

"We're fine, thank you." Xian said with a small smile. "What about you? How are you feeling?"

"Okay." Su said. "I'm probably gonna get nightmares when I'm older, though. Nothing like a little post-traumatic stress disorder to give you an excuse to stay up all night."

"Tell me about it." Xian muttered.

_Tap, tap!_

"Come in!" Xian called.

In walked Eagle Jr.

"We searched everywhere." Eagle Jr. said. "No sign of the Yeti or the opening in the wall Su mentioned."

"Then the Yeti's probably long gone." Xian said. "And sealed the passage again as it was leaving."

"Speaking of which, that hole your students made is being repaired as we speak, and your students are almost fully recovered."

"Have they been moved out of the tower, yet?"

"They're actually outside. They insisted on getting some more snow for their ice packs. Oh by the way, any idea when I'll get to take off these cursed bandages? My wing is itching like hell!"

"When the medic says so." Xian replied bluntly, then turned his attention back to Su. "Look, Su. We need your help."

"Is this about the spyglass?" Su asked.

"Yes." Xian gently pushed the spyglass across the table towards her. A soldier had come across the spyglass while they were searching the left hand tower to make sure the Yeti wasn't hiding anywhere, and Xian had taken it off his hands before it could disappear again. "It's time you explained to us your plan to find the Yeti's lair."

Su picked up the spyglass and looked through it. She fiddled with the tiny levers. After a moment she sighed in relief, as if she had been worried that it may have been damaged.

"Okay." She said. "Can we go to the library so I can explain it properly?"


	55. Place of Peace

One by one, they stepped into the library.

"Sit over there, this may take a while." Su said, pointing to a nearby bench. Xian and Shifu glanced at each before doing as they were told.

"Are you all sitting comfortably?" Su asked. There was a strange glint in her eyes. "Good. Now before I start, I have a bone to pick with you guys."

"Pardon?" Shifu wasn't sure if he heard her right.

"Just a little while ago, I had the scariest experience of my entire life." Su said. "I was manhandled by a ginormous monster. When the Yeti left, and I was left alone with two knocked out grown ups, I had a little time to think about what happened, and how I ended up in that situation. You see, being smarter means that it's a lot easier to understand and cope with situations like these, or at least that's what Master Tigress told me once. And so right now, when I supposed to be shaking like the scared little girl that I am, I'm actually mad. I'm mad at you, Emperor Xian."

Xian blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"I didn't occur to me until a little while ago, but you put a lot of responsibility on my shoulders when you told me to find the Yeti's lair." Su said coolly. "I'm seven years old. Just because I'm apparently 'super smart'…" She did the 'bunny ears' gesture with her fingers as she said this. "Doesn't mean I'm perfect. I'm just a little kid who found something you grown ups overlooked. Why didn't you think to do the grown up work yourselves and try and figure it out for yourselves?"

"Uhhh…"

"But no, the moment I told you about the spyglass, you left it to me to do the rest of the work by myself while you wandered about like a doofus blaming Mr. Tujius for everything bad that happened. Either you're lazy, or you're scared that if you make your own decisions you'll make things worse."

Xian was speechless. Shifu gave him a slightly accusing look.

"I'm not looking for an apology or a make up present. But before I tell you what I've figured out, I want you to promise me that you'll start acting like a leader from now on." Su said. "I also want you both to promise that you won't laugh at the stuff I'm gonna tell you. Pinky promise?"

She held out her little finger.

As he wondered if he was really talking to a little girl right now, Xian held out his own finger and they shook. Shifu did the same a moment later, at the same time recalling Eagle Jr.'s words from the other night.

_"I know how it feels to lose someone you care about. It can soften you or harden you beyond all recognition."_

Obviously Su hadn't lost anyone she cared about during her encounter with the Yeti, but the red panda couldn't help but feel that something slightly similar had happened.

"Good." Su said, her features softening slightly. "Now remember what I said about not laughing."

She held out a scroll.

"As I said before, I'm not perfect. Most of this is just theories, and there is still a thing or two I haven't been able to figure out by myself." She said. "The first thing I found was this scroll. It was in the fairy tales section, but I think it will give you an idea as to why the Yeti is so determined to get rid of us."

She handed the scroll to the two adults. Xian unrolled it and read the contents. His eyes widened slightly.

"No way…"

He passed the scroll on to Shifu, who read it in silence before passing it on to Su with a puzzled look bordering on flabbergasted.

" _Shambhala?_ " He asked. "You think the Yeti's lair is in Shambhala? The lost kingdom also known as the 'Place of Peace?"

He wasn't skeptical, not really, but he was waiting for an explanation.

"I know it sounds nutty." Su said. "But when I overheard you guys talking about the Yeti possibly hiding in some old ruins, I thought that maybe those ruins and this fortress are remnants of some kind of culture."

Shifu was about to ask her to explain further, when he suddenly had a thought. It wasn't uncommon for buildings such as farms, small villages or fortified complexes to be located relatively close to large cities. Take Gongmen City and its surrounding smaller villages for example.

"Xian, I'm beginning to think that Su may be on to something." He said. Xian stared.

"But- but Shambhala couldn't possibly be this far east." He said. "The historians don't believe this."

"Well none of them have found Shambhala, have they?" Shifu replied. "Su, how exactly do we find this Shambhala?"

"That's where it gets a little fuzzy." Su said. "I'm pretty sure this spyglass is meant to show you where the city is, but I don't really know how to use it."

"What do you know?"

"I know that in the alchemy section, one of the scrolls is pretty different from the others." Su said, and held out a second scroll. Xian took it in his paw, and frowned.

"This one feels heavier." He said. "Like there's something inside."

"I don't know how to open it." Su said. "I think there may be a secret compartment, like the one in Master Po's Shifu action figure, but I can't get it open."

"You got a bottle open a few days ago." Shifu replied with a raised eyebrow.

"That was a bottle, this is a scroll." Su replied. "Don't be cheeky."

Shifu bit down a chuckle as he gazed at the scroll.

"Xian, you've got claws. Look for a groove." He said.

Xian's brows furrowed as he fiddled with the scroll, running his unsheathed along its surface without tearing the paper. As he reached the other end of the scroll-  _click_!

The end fell off like a bottle cork.

"Huh, guess you need sharp claws to get it open." Su murmured.

Xian tilted the scroll, and out fell a glass vial of dark liquid, wrapped in a thin roll of paper.

"Now we're getting someplace." Xian said with a grin, and unwrapped the paper.

On it was a sketch of a tower. It looked very familiar…

"Isn't that the tower at the top of this building?" Xian asked.

"It is." Shifu said. "Look, there's writing at the top…  _Horizontal- 40, Vertical- 105._  And at the bottom…  _Horizontal- 52, Vertical- 50._ "

"What the hell does that mean?" Xian asked.

"We'll probably find out when we get to the top of the tower." Shifu said.

"Wait, isn't the air too thin up there?" Xian asked. "How can we get up there if there's not enough oxygen."

"I don't think that'll be a problem." Su said with a small smile, her eyes on the vial. "Read the scroll."

Shifu and Xian turned their attention back to the scroll they just opened.

_Xintiao Plant._

_The Xintiao Plant is a highly toxic plant indigenous to inner Asia. With dark blue tear-shaped petals, the planet is very beautiful, and very deadly. Its nectar when ingested has the effect of slowing the victim's heart to a stop. While one or two drops will merely slow the heart rate for a few hours with non-fatal results, the entire flower would have enough nectar to kill fifty people._

Xian slowly turned to look at Shifu.

"Master Shifu, what was that technique you taught Eagle Jr. so he could fly in high altitudes?"

"Using intense focus and concentration, he could slow his heart rate just enough to tolerate thin air." Shifu replied quietly. He stared down at the vial in his hand. "Because the slower the heart pumps blood, the less oxygen you need."

Shifu could practically imagine Po whispering, "Awesome!" if he were with them right now.

But he wasn't. He was out in the wilderness with Tigress and Viper with less than an hour before they would be engulfed in a lethal blizzard. If they were to find out if Su was right about Shambhala, it was now or never.

"Xian, meet me at the bottom of the tower in five minutes." Shifu said. "I'm going to get Crane and Mantis."

"What do I do?" Su asked.

"You stay here where you can rest easy." Shifu said. "You've done more than enough. Xian, come on."

"Wait, don't forget this!" Su handed Shifu the spyglass.

"Thank you. And good work."

Shifu and Xian practically ran out the room.

* * *

Xian spent the next couple of minutes anxiously pacing anxiously in front of the door that served as the entrance to the tower, feeling both annoyed and ashamed. On one hand, he had definitely not been putting the blame on others as Su had practically accused him of. He was well aware that it was his fault that any of them were here in the first place, and had been kicking himself mentally ever since. But considering that Tujiu was the one who persuaded him to authorize an expedition to the fortress in the first place, he had a good reason to put some of the blame on him.

On the other hand, she was right his cowardice. He had shoved a great weight on her shoulders the first chance he got, and he felt stupid for doing so. Just because she was wise beyond her years didn't give him the right to assume that she would do a better job than he could. The truth was, he had a feeling that any decision he made would only worsen the situation. After all, practically every course of action they had taken so far had ended in disaster. He had thought that they would all be better off if he left the decision making to smart people.

Until now.

At that moment he heard footsteps. Seconds later Shifu came striding up to him, followed closely by Crane and Mantis.

"Okay, now that we're all together could someone please explain to us what the heck is going on?" Mantis demanded.

"We're going on a little trip up top." Shifu said.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Somewhere at the top of this tower, there may be an object of some sort that will help us locate the Yeti's lair." Shifu said.

"You're kidding!" Crane said. "How do you know?"

"Long story. The air is slightly thinner up there, so whoever decides to go up will need to take a drop of this." He held up the vial. "It will slow your heart slightly so your body will require less oxygen."

"Wait, I thought the air in the tower was breathable!" Mantis exclaimed. "I mean, we went to the top room and we were fine!"

"That is why we've brought Crane here." Xian said. "Because of this vial, we think that we may need to go a little higher than the top room."

Mantis turned pale.

"You actually mean  _way_  higher, don't you?"

"Yes. Crane has been trained to tolerate high altitudes, so he's one of the best for the job. You up for it, Crane?"

Crane nodded. It was obvious he didn't like it, but a lot was at stake.

"Good. With the wind being so strong it's not safe for you to go by yourself." Shifu said. "That is why Mantis will-"  
"I'll go." Xian spoke suddenly.

"Excuse me?" Shifu asked.

"I'll go." Xian said. "It'd be safer than Mantis going. Someone of his size and weight would get blown away in a second. I'll go with Crane."

"The hell you are!" Shifu snapped. He winced, a sign that the pain relieving tonic he had taken for his thrown out back was wearing off.

"Master, you can't just put me on the spectator's seat just because I'm the emperor!" Xian retorted. Crane and Mantis looked on, not daring to interrupt.

"What do you think this is, a chance to prove yourself?" Shifu demanded. He stepped in front of the door to the tower, blocking any chance of Xian entering. "This is an extremely dangerous mission and you are too important to be put at risk."

"I've heard this crap from you before!" Xian snapped back. "Mantis's size puts him at risk of being blown away by the wind and you're so old we don't know what effect the poison will have on you! Not only that, Eagle Jr.'s wing is still bandaged! I'm the best person to accompany Crane and you know it!"

"Leave it to the masters!" Shifu replied.

Xian remembered how he had stood by and done nothing, unable to help while the storage building burned, and his temper flared up. With a feral growl he struck out and snatched Shifu's staff and flung it a far distance down the corridor. Shifu retaliated at once, lunging at Xian with a spinning kick which Xian countered. The fight lasted for two seconds before Xian once more found himself holding a concealed knife to the red panda's throat, a move which made attacking impossible and stepping back the only option. Shifu did no such thing. He merely glared, while Crane and Mantis looked on with open mouths.

"Listen, Master…" Xian growled. "I've had it up to here with watching people die and not doing a damn thing about it. And I'm getting goddamned sick to death of you treating me like a helpless old fool! In case you've forgotten I've got a responsibility to this situation and it's time I started living up to it!"

"What are you talking about?" Shifu demanded.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about!" Xian snapped. "I allowed Tujiu, a bird I knew from experience to be a deceitful coward, to talk me into authorizing an expedition I didn't fully understand, and in doing that I allowed that bird to cause the deaths of dozens of men who had families of their own! I've shirked my responsibility from the start, and no overprotective fuzzy tailed  _rat_  is going to stop me from setting things right!"

"If he responds to that, you're dead." Mantis piped up.

"Shut up, Mantis!" Shifu snapped, and turned his attention back to Xian. "Xian, you don't have to do this. You've already done enough to make up for your mistakes-"

"No, it's nowhere near enough." Xian spoke a little calmer as his anger faded and his breathing slowed. "I'm still shirking responsibility, but not anymore. Now give me that vial."

For a moment, no-one moved or spoke. And then, slowly, reluctantly, Shifu held out the vial.

"You had better come back in one piece." He said.

Xian nodded, lowered the knife, and took the vial.

"Remember, no more than two drops." Shifu said.

Xian opened the vial, tilted it slightly, and let a single drop of dark liquid fall and settle on his outstretched finger. After a moment's pause, he brought the finger to his mouth and ingested the poison.

For the first few seconds, nothing happened. Then suddenly Xian looked like he was about to freak out.

"Son of a…" He gasped and clutched his chest.

"Xian, what's happening?" Shifu demanded, looking fearful.

"I'm… fine…" Xian spoke slowly but normally. "Holy crap, I can feel it! I can feel my heart slowing down!"

"Do you feel light you are in any danger?"

"No, it's stopped. I mean, it's not slowing down any further. In any case, I think I'm ready for the thin air, now."

"Good." Shifu handed Xian the spyglass and the paper with the numbers written on them. "Remember the plan- climb up the tower, use the spyglass to locate Shambhala, and get back down before the poison wears off."

"Wuh-wait, we're looking for Shambhala?" Crane asked, but was ignored.

"No time to explain, we've got thirty-five minutes until your friends get caught in a storm!"

"Before they  _what_?!"

Xian grabbed Crane by the neck and half carried, half dragged him through the door.


	56. The Tower

"That was kind of uncalled for." Crane said as he rubbed his sore neck.

"Oh, it was called for." Xian said without so much as looking at the avian. His attention was more focused on the foot of the stone spiral staircase that would take them to the top. "You know, Master Shifu told me about your little blunder in that panda village."

"How was I supposed to know that Mr. Ping would take offense to someone calling his soup bland?" Crane demanded.

Xian looked at him blankly for several seconds, then shook his head and started up the stairs. Crane wondered what the heck his problem was, and then realized the stupidity of what he had just said.

"Because he's a chef, of course…" He muttered, and began to follow.

The tower of the main building was situated right above the throne room, and consisted primarily of a single spiral staircase and a circular room at the very top. The room itself was bare and covered in dust that must have built up over decades. Because there was nothing of interest in the tower, it had been mostly ignored by Tujiu and his soldiers, so it was unlikely that anything had been damaged or tampered with. However, it also made it a little harder to find whatever it was they needed to located the lost city.

Quickly they travelled up the staircase. At one point Xian began to fall behind.

"Xian?" Crane stopped a few feet up.

"Not as young as I once was." Xian muttered. He took a deep breath and resumed walking.

They must have been about sixty feet up before either of them spoke again.

"Xian, I want to ask you something."

"What's stopping you?" Xian asked, the tiredness that came from climbing a hundred foot staircase was making him a little irritable.

"Why do you hate Tujiu so much?"

"Have you forgotten what he has done here?" Xian replied coldly.

"That's not what I meant. From the way you talk to him, it seems like you've been holding a grudge against him long before this whole incident. What's going on between you two?"

Xian stopped walking.

"Now is not the time to tell you that." He said firmly.

"Fair enough." Crane said, not wanting a knife to be pressed to his throat. "Let's keep moving."

"By the way, what's with calling me 'Xian', all of a sudden?"

Crane froze. He had completely forgotten that Xian was the emperor.

"Oh, I'm sorry, your highness!" He said quickly.

"Don't be, I don't blame you for forgetting, what with my current attire." Xian said with a small smile. "I actually kind of like it. To be honest, I was starting to get a little tired of everyone I run into calling me 'your highness', or 'your eminence', or 'our great golden shining empress.'"

"Our great golden what?" Crane actually did a double take.

"Don't ask, some ambassador said it while having one too many drinks."

"Oh." Crane said slowly. "Hey, I think we've reached the top."

Sure enough, they found themselves in an empty stone room five steps later. They looked around, but saw nothing that could be combined with a spyglass. Not even a window to look out from. The room would have been pitch dark were it not for the single wall torch blazing quietly."

"Well, now what?" Crane asked.

"Crane, is the air a little thinner here?" Xian asked. "You're the best one to judge."

Crane paused.

"Only a little, but not enough to make you pass out."

"Then we've got to go higher." Xian said.

"How? There's no other door."

"Then look for one." Xian said simply, and began feeling along the walls.

"Excuse me?"

"There's a secret door in the library and the machine room. What's to say there isn't one here?"

"Okay…" Crane muttered and began running his wings along the walls. He couldn't feel the rough texture through his feathertips, but the cold practically radiated from the walls. He thought of Viper, and Tigress and Po, and hoped that they would find out about the storm in time if they hadn't sensed it coming already.

"Aha!" Xian suddenly said. "Crane, over here! It's-" There was a scraping of stone, and suddenly Crane was nearly deafened by the roaring wind that suddenly filled the room and ruffled his feathers. Dust flew everywhere, going into his eyes and into his beak. There was a slam and then all was still again.

Crane turned to face Xian. There was an expression of shock on the tiger's face. His fur and clothes were a mess.

"What the hell was that?" Crane asked.

"Er, I… I found the door." Xian said.

"Oh, great." Crane replied. "Let's get going, and open the door a little slower this time, okay?"

"Okay." Xian said, and turned back to the stone circular handle he had pulled slightly out of the rest of the wall. He turned it, and slowly pushed the door open.

At once they were assaulted by fierce wind.

"Oh crap." Xian said, his voice barely audible over the wind, as he saw how high up they were. "Oh crap!" Down below, the courtyard looked like it was the size of a square shaped plate, the people mere black dots against the snow. They were currently standing on a narrow stone stairway moving along the exterior wall, a flimsy chain rail the only thing between them and deal by falling.

"Oh crap!" Xian said again. "Okay, I can do this…" He began making his way up the stairs.

Crane was about to ask why he was so freaked out, when he remembered that unlike himself, Xian was a land animal. He probably wasn't used to this kind of height.

Just like Crane wasn't used to climbing up tall staircases rather than merely flying.

"I'll just scout ahead." Crane called over the wind.

"Knock yourself out." He thought he heard Xian reply.

Crane took off into the sky. At once, even though the wind was more aggressive up here, he felt a rush of joy. He hadn't flown for days, and he missed it.

The stairs ended at the top of the flat roof of the tower. The top room was now directly below him. There was nothing to use a spyglass on here, but what was there was-

"Oh man, he is not going to like this." Crane muttered so softly the wind drowned it out.

At that moment he heard Xian calling out to him; he had almost reached the roof.

"Crane, are you there?" He shouted. "Crane, we don't have a lot of-" He stopped dead. "Oh bugger."

They were both staring up at a narrower stone tower located in the center of the roof that looked to be at least fifty feet high. There was no door, only a small ladder that stretched right up to the very top. Whether or not it was safe was impossible to tell.

"I hate this place." Xian said. "I really hate this place."

"Do you want me to carry you up there?" Crane asked.

"No, it's too risky in these conditions." Xian said. He very reluctantly stepped up to the ladder. "Just stay close, okay?"

"Okay." Crane said.

"Here goes…" Xian said. "If you were here, Yujin, you'd be up and down in two minutes flat."

"What was that?" Crane wasn't sure if he had heard him right.

"Nothing!" Xian replied. "Let's get this over with!"

He started climbing.

* * *

When Eagle Jr. went to check on Su, he found her on the balcony with the astrolabe, pulling absentmindedly on the levers that controlled the various metal rings. She was very quiet.

"Su?" He said.

"Yeah?" The cub replied without turning her head.

"It's getting very harsh out here. Why don't you go inside?"

Su didn't answer.

"Su, it's quite cold out."

"I like it when it's cold."

"Hey, what's the matter?" Eagle Jr. asked.

"Nothing." Su said simply.

"Then let's go inside." Eagle Jr. said.

"Okay." Su allowed Eagle Jr. to lead her back inside. She didn't utter a single word as they made their way down the spiral staircase to the bottom floor.

"Actually, can I stay here for a bit longer?" Su asked unexpectedly, causing the eagle to stop.

"Sure, just don't stay too long. It will be night soon."

Su grabbed a random scroll, sat down on a bench, and started reading. Eagle Jr. was about to leave when he noticed that she wasn't truly reading the scroll. Rather, she was staring at some space above it.

"Su, come on." He urged gently. "What's wrong?"

Su sighed. It sounded very unchild-like.

"Master Eagle…"

"Eagle Jr."

"Whatever." She said. "Am I losing my innocence?"

"Losing your innocence?"

"A long time ago, I was told that when you experience something both scary and real at the same time, you realize that the world isn't as nice as you thought it was, and it changes you. For good or better depends on the person. A few days ago, I was already aware that there are some bad people in the world, and bad things happen because of them, but until now it hasn't really had an effect on me."

"So what has changed?"

"Ever since I got approached by a Yeti twice in once week, I've been thinking more and more about the bad stuff. And when I think about the bad stuff, it makes me feel bad. And sometimes I act bad."

Eagle Jr. frowned.

"What do you mean by acting bad?"

"I got mad at the Yeti and yelled at him."

"You what?"

"He said he wouldn't hurt us if I gave him the spyglass. It reminded me of how he had lied to you guys before and I got mad. I yelled at him." Su looked angry with herself. "How stupid is that?"

"Su, don't be too hard on yourself." Eagle Jr. replied gently. "You're a little girl. You can't always handle your emotions no matter how mature you are."

"If I didn't already know that, I would still be wondering why Po had a fight with an action figure the other day." Su said. Suddenly she gasped. "Oh! I did it again!"

"Did what?"

"Said something snide! I've been doing that a lot lately!"

"Wait, is that the change you've been worrying about?" Eagle Jr. chuckled. "Su, that's not exactly being scared into catatonia."

"Might as well be! I don't even recognize myself anymore!"

"Being sarcastic isn't the end of the world." Eagle Jr. said. "Why don't I take you to Di Tan for some sweet tea?"

"Sure, okay." Su said. "Does it have to be sweet?"

"Why, don't you like sweet?"

"As a stereotypical kiddie's drink, yes."

"Aren't you a bit young for the more bitter tea?"

"Aren't you a bit old to be whining about your bad wing all the time?"

There was a pause.

"Good comeback." Eagle Jr. muttered. "Okay, why don't you try some green tea?"

"Sounds good to me!" Su smiled.

"And while we're there I'll get my bandage changed. It's getting filthy."

Su put the scroll back on the shelf and along with Eagle Jr. left the library. They had just stepped through the archway when Eagle Jr. froze.

"What?" Su asked.

Eagle Jr. was staring down at a trail of blackened, charred footprints starting from the archway and disappearing ten feet away.

* * *

_Crack!_

"Damn!"

Xian lifted his legs just in time as the bottom half of the ladder collapsed from beneath him and crashed to the roof below.

"Xian, are you okay?" Crane called. He was hovering in the air behind Xian, ready to catch him if the rest of the ladder gave way.

"Okay!" Xian said, and continued climbing.

He reached the top with no other incidents, and clambered over the stone edge and quickly wrapped his arms around the wooden flag pole in the middle of the little platform. This time there was no fence or railing whatsoever, and he was wishing that he was back home in the imperial palace, watching his guards chase a hyper Zan around the entrance hall.

He heard a tapping sound next to him. Crane had touched down.

"Hey, look at this." He said.

Xian turned his head. At one corner of the platform was a metal object that consisted of a short pole, two flat discs on top, one vertical and one horizontal, and a space in between that looked perfect to fit a spyglass into.

"Perfect." Xian muttered. He slowly got to his feet and moved around the flag pole until he was right behind the stand. He pulled out the spyglass and set it in between the disks. He spotted two screws in the sides and twisted them until the spyglass was perfectly fastened in place.

"Xian, there's numbers on these disks."

Xian turned his head and saw that Crane was right. A series of numbers was ringed around the outer edge of both disks. He pulled out the sketch of the tower and examined the numbers at the top of the page.

_Horizontal- 40, Vertical- 105._

"Looks like this works in angles." Xian whispered. So all he had to do was turn the spyglass until it was pointed in the right angles of both disks.

"Here goes…"

He turned the spyglass horizontally until it was pointing in the direction of the number forty on the bottom disk. He then turned the spyglass vertically until it was facing in the direction of the number one hundred and five on the disk next to it.

He put his eye to the spyglass, but all he saw was blurriness. He adjusted the little levers in the side of the spyglass until the image cleared.

His jaw dropped.

"I'll be god damned."

"What?" Crane shouted over the wind.

"Look." Xian said, and moved around the flagpole so Crane could look through the spyglass.

"What? All I can see is a pile of rocks on the mountainside."

"To be more precise, it's the result of a landslide." Xian said. "Look harder, but don't move the spyglass."

"Wait…" Crane said. "What's that above the rocks? It's a piece of an archway!"

"A big one. Looks a lot like an entrance, don't you think?" Xian asked.

"There's writing on it." Crane went on. "'Place of Peace.'"

"Think, have you heard that phrase before?" Xian asked. "In a story perhaps?"

"Well I did hear Shambhala being mentioned before…" Crane looked up sharply. "No way!"

"That's why the Yeti is trying so hard to get rid of us!" Xian said triumphantly. "It doesn't want us to find the lost city!"

"That's incredible!" Crane said. "How did you figure out this fortress was connected to Shambhala?"

"It wasn't me." Xian replied.

 _You were wrong about one thing, Su,_  Xian thought.  _You_ are  _perfect._

"How exactly does this help up find Po and the others?" Crane asked. "The entrance is blocked."

"Here." Xian handed him the drawing while keeping one arm wrapped around the pole. "There are numbers on the bottom of the page as well."

Crane looked at the numbers, then turned the spyglass to the appropriate angles. He looked through. He frowned and adjusted the little levers.

"Hey, there's a cave over there!"

"A cave?"

"Yeah. From its location you get a perfect view of this fortress!"

"It might be a backdoor." Xian said. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I'm thinking that we should start looking for Po and the others now."

"You can see for miles up here." Xian said. "Shouldn't be too hard."

"We'd better hurry." Crane said. "The storm's almost here and it's getting dark."

And so they searched the landscape around them, Crane searching through the spyglass and Xian using his bare eyes. Suddenly Crane shouted.

"I found them! They're just a hundred feet below the cave! Wait… what the hell?! Viper's not with them!"

"What?!"

"I don't see Viper! Something must have happened to her!"

"Calm down." Xian said, though he too was worried. "Look, with the ladder out I'll need you to help me get back down. Drop me off at the library balcony and then go and warn your friends. Don't try to come back here, you'll never make it before the storm hits."

Crane nodded quickly. Xian was right, panicking would get them nowhere. He lifted himself into the air.

"Grab my legs and I'll pull you down."

Xian did as he was told, and had just been lifted into the air when they heard a voice shouting down below.

"Hey! Guys! Guys, what're you doing up there?!"

Crane looked down at Xian.

"Is that Mantis?"


	57. Tea, Sap and Fire

"Xian's going to kill you when he sees you again, you know that right?" Crane said.

"It was for his own good." Shifu barked. "He has behaved recklessly in the past before."

"But back then he wasn't the emperor of China!" Mantis exclaimed. "Seriously, Master. You are pretty much screwed."

Ten minutes earlier, Mantis had had to stand at the very top of a five hundred foot tall building with nothing but a literal ball and chain to keep himself from being blown away, and explain himself to a puzzled Crane and a furious Xian. Mantis had been sent up by Shifu to make sure that Xian made it back down, after only five minutes of anxious waiting. While Crane had carried both the bug and the tiger down to the library balcony, as the ladder had broken, Xian spent the entire trip swearing under his breath. It had been Crane's idea to have him stay in the library while he and Mantis returned to Shifu to tell him what they had learned.

"Right now, I couldn't care less what Xian plans to do to me!" Shifu snapped. "What matters now is that the storm is about to hit and you're both standing in front of me babbling about an angry tiger!"

"So you wanted us to go warn Po and the others  _now_?" Mantis asked.

"No, tomorrow, you idiot NOW! Get going!" Shifu shouted.

"Okay, okay!" Crane and Mantis took off down the corridor.

" _Now?_ " Shifu whispered to himself.

Then again, it wasn't entirely their fault. Shifu had practically trained them to not do anything without permission from himself, back when they had first arrived at the Jade Palace one by one. More than once he had wondered if that had been wise, but then Po had come along, and as he gradually but indirectly helped the Five learn to think and do things for themselves again, Shifu's worried had faded like night fading into day.

_Po… please don't do anything stupid while you're out there. Tigress, if he does, I want you to use your imagination. Viper, you better have wrapped warmly. Monkey, when we find you I swear I will make you wash Po's clothes for a month!_

And then his final thought, the one that made him smile to himself as he started walking down the corridor towards the stairs that led back to the lower levels of the building.

_When this is over, I think I'll give them the week off. God knows they deserve a break._

_Tigress, you're the best student I have ever had. You'll get the others through this in one piece. Won't you?_

Before he knew it, he had found himself in the kitchen. There was an itch in the back of his throat that made him realize he needed a drink. Di Tan was standing at the stove, evidently in the process of making tea. Seated at the table was Su with a cup of what looked like juice.

"Oh hey, Master Shifu!" Su said brightly. "How did it go with the spyglass?"

"You were right." He replied. He felt a warm feeling in his chest which he quickly realized was pride. "You were right about everything."

"Oh great!" Su said happily. "I was a little worried that the tower may have been a red herring, but great!"

"What are you two talking about?" Di Tan asked.

When Shifu explained, Di Tan dropped his spoon.

The red panda didn't bother waiting to see the rest of his reaction, instead moving to sit opposite Su.

"Where's Mr. Xian?" Su asked.

"He's in the library letting off some steam." Shifu replied.

"What did you do?"

"Xian went with Crane to the top of the tower, and I decided to send Mantis to make sure he got back down in one piece. According to him, Xian was  _not_  happy."

"Can you blame him?" Su asked. "He's in his early fifties and you keep treating him like a cub who never does what he's told."

"Well can you blame  _me_?!" Shifu retorted. "When he was a boy, he was always the first to jump into a situation without thinking of the consequences-"

"Mr. Xian isn't a boy anymore." Su said.

"These days he has a very funny way of showing it."

Di Tan spun around. He was clutching the small wooden spoon like a club.

"That's not fair, Master Shifu." He said sternly.

Shifu merely sighed.

"You're right." He said. "I shouldn't have said that."

"Mr. Di Tan, could you pour Master Shifu a cup?" Su asked sweetly. "He looks tense."

"Alright." Di Tan was still glaring at the red panda as he served him and poured another cup. "I'm going to take this to Xian. Goodness knows he can do with a refreshment."

"See you later!" Su called as the goose left the kitchen.

Shifu put one elbow on the table, rested his head on his hand. Through the steam rising from the tea cup in front of him, he watched Su smile gently as she waved the goose goodbye.

_After all she has experienced, she's still innocent… so full of love… just like Tigress before I froze her heart… just like Po…_

_In the middle of the ironwood forest that stood near the Jade Palace, Master Shifu followed the natural trail through the hardened trees. His ear twitched at the soft rustle of a dry leaf falling from its branch. His eyes blinked in the rays of sun that poured through the gaps in the tree tops. His legs stopped walking as he head the sound of huffing and panting behind him._

_"He can't have exhausted himself already." The red panda muttered as he turned around._

_His shoulders slumped in bemusement at the sight of the giant panda literally dancing on the spot. He was shaking his arms, rolling his shoulders, jumping on the ground like he was standing on coals._

_"What are you doing?" Shifu asked._

_"Warming up!" Po panted as he continued to dance. "You told me to do this every day since I pulled that hamstring while fighting that wooden warrior!"_

_"I said to stretch your limbs, not jump around like a moron!" Shifu retorted. "Stop what you're doing and let me show you how to warm up properly."_

_Po let his arms fall back to his sides. Shifu moved until he was standing right beside him._

_"We'll start with an alternating split deadlift." Shifu said. "Do exactly as I do. Stand with your arms by your sides, a d then step forward with your left leg." He did what he said, and Po quickly but nervously followed suit. "Keep a slight bend between your knees… now lean over your forward leg and extend your arms down as far as you can while leaning from your hips and keeping your spine straight. Return to start and-"_

_When Shifu looked up, he saw that Po had barely put his left foot out in front of him, and was straining to reach around his belly towards his knee._

_"Po, aren't you going to stretch?"_

_"I am." Po grunted. "But I can barely see my toes, let alone touch them."_

_Shifu sighed and straightened._

_"Let's just march on the spot, then." He said._

_"You mean march like a soldier but not actually march anywhere?" Po asked._

_"Precisely. Do it for two minutes."_

_When Po finished marching two minutes later, Shifu noticed that he didn't start panting as he usually did._

_"Hey, that actually wasn't bad!" Po said cheerfully. "Not as awesome as kung fu, but not bad! What else, Master Shifu?"_

_"That's enough warming up, we have other training to do."_

_"You mean my hero's chi, right?"_

_"Yes. We are going to have you do something other than reviving small fires, today."_

_"Awesome! What?"_

_In answer, Shifu took out a small knife and jammed it into the tree._

_"Hey!" Po exclaimed. "What did the tree ever do to you?!"_

_Shifu ignored him, and pulled the knife out again. Almost at once sap began seeping from the wound._

_"Heal the tree."_

_"What?"_

_"Imagine this tree is Tigress, or Monkey." Shifu said. "They have just been slashed in the torso by a bandit's sword, and there is no doctor to be found. What do you do in this situation?"_

_"I treat the wound myself, of course." Po replied. "That or get Viper to do it. She's better at that sort of stuff."_

_"Very good. Now use your hero's chi to heal this tree. Try to stop the bleeding at the very least."_

_"Er, how exactly do I do that, Master?" Po wrung his paws as he waited for Shifu's answer._

_"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, Po." He said. "I myself do not have the power to heal, so I can't tell you how it's done. The best you can do it figure it out for yourself, just like you did with the fire."_

_"This is gonna take a while, isn't it?"_

_"Yes, but your inner peace should help you during your training."_

_"Cool." Po walked up to the tree. At first, he merely stared at the tree, uncertain as to what to do next._

_"Why don't you put your paws on the wound?" Shifu suggested. "It may work better if you use physical contact."_

_"Okay." Po still looked unconfident as he placed his paws on the tree's cut and closed his eyes as he started concentrating._

_"I'll sit and wait while you focus." Shifu said. "Inform me if there is any change."_

_Po didn't answer, his attention focused fully on the tree. Shifu sat down on the ground and began to meditate._

_Half an hour later he heard Po groan in frustration and step away from the tree._

_"Dang it!"  
"What's wrong?"  
"I can't do it! I try to summon the hero's chi but I can't!"  
"Well you have very little left after you used up the chi the peach tree sapling gave you." Shifu replied. "It is possible that you would need to replenish your chi in larger quantities before you can achieve this kind of power."_

_"Hey, how come you know so much about how hero's chi works?" Po questioned._

_"Because Oogway told me." Shifu replied. "He possessed the hero's chi himself, remember? He taught me all he knew about hero's chi in the event that I ended up having the keeper of the chi as my student."_

_"Hey, that's pretty awesome!"_

_"You say that about everything." Shifu said with a roll of his eyes. "We still have a couple of hours of sun left. Put your paws back on the tree and try again."_

_"Yes, Master."_

The panda put his paws back on the tree with a clunk that seemed out of place in Shifu's memory. He returned to the present, where Su took another sip of her drink and then put the cup down on the table with another clunk. She looked at Shifu and then tilted her head.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked.

"A panda."

"A kung fu panda?"

"Yes." Shifu smiled softly at the girl's choice of words. "These past few months I've been training him to combine his chi with his inner peace to master techniques that normal kung fu wouldn't help him with."

"Cool. How's that going?"

"Very slowly. Not that Po's not doing well. This kind of training is very hard work, because there are no scrolls that can tell you how it's done. Most of the time Po has to try and figure it out for himself."

It was odd. Normally Shifu had trouble talking about these sorts of things to other people, but with Su it was no trouble at all.

"Oh well." Su sipped her juice. "At least Po's doing his best."

"Indeed." Shifu looked down at his tea, which had stopped steaming. He didn't sip.

"How are Crane and Mantis doing?" Su asked. Shifu knew she was referring to the minor injuries they had sustained in the Yeti's attack.

"They're fine." Shifu assured her. "In fact, they've just left to warn Tigress and the others about the storm."

"Oh good. Do you think they'll make it back before the storm hits?"

"No. They've been advised to seek shelter along with the others and make the return journey once the storm passes."

"And you've been acting mean because all you can do is wait and hope they're still okay by then?"

"Yes."

"Oh." Su emptied her cup and then got off the table to get the jug sitting on the bench. When she sat at the table again, she said; "You know, I've just realized something. You haven't given me a report on how I'm doing with  _my_ training."

"Oh." Shifu's eyes widened slightly. "I usually don't get asked for a report, but alright…" He pushed the teacup aside and crossed his arms on the table. "On the plus side, you always do exactly as you are told, and you take criticism well. You also have significant upper body strength and unusually fast reflexes. On the downside, you have yet to apply said reflexes in actual combat, though that won't be necessary for a few months yet. Also, you lack confidence, which can limit you severely when attempting new techniques. You also need to improve on using your lower body in combat. I would suggest studying the scrolls concerning flexibility."

"You're right, I need to work on my kicks." Su replied. "What else."

"That's it." He replied simply. "Other than that, you're a model student."

"Oh, thank you." Su blushed slightly at the praise. "Is it alright if I give you some advice?"

This Shifu did not expect.

"Alright…" He said hesitantly.

"Could you not be so hard on Mr. Xian all the time? I know he's the emperor, and you're worried that he'll get killed, but Mr. Xian's already really hurt."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was hiding in the cart, I overheard Po talk about what happened to Mr. Xian's family. That and what happened to all those soldiers must really be hurting him at the moment, and I don't think you treating him like a kid is really helping."

"I'm not treating him like a kid." Shifu replied sternly, though he couldn't help but think that Su had a point. "Xian's recklessness has cost him so much already and the last thing we need is for him to-"

"Eep!" Su suddenly squeaked, her eyes wide as dinner plates. She was staring at something over the red panda's shoulder.

Shifu turned round in his chair. His heart sank when he saw Xian standing in the doorway with a face like thunder. Di Tan stood at his side with a nervous expression.

"Xian." Shifu said. "Xian I didn't mean-"

"Bite me!" Xian turned round and left.

Di Tan's expression turned steely, and he lifted his spoon again.

"If you don't go after him and apologize, so help me I'll make you apologize in a much higher voice!"

He needn't have bothered, for Shifu had already got off the chair and was making his way out the kitchen.

* * *

"Xian!"

Shifu caught Xian as he was entering the master bedroom.

"Xian, I didn't-"

"No, I don't want to hear it!" Xian snapped. "You've made it quite clear that you think I'm just a foolish child who can't make the right decisions about a dozen times already!"

"Xian, I'm sorry!" Shifu said. "I was wrong to say that this was all your fault, it came out all wrong!"

"In case you've forgotten, you've made your share of bad decisions yourself!" Xian retorted. "And how many times has it come back to bite you in the ass, huh?!"

Shifu didn't answer. Both men glared at each other in silence for some time before either of them spoke again.

"Did you really think I would just send all those men out to the most isolated, most dangerous place in Asia without considering the possible consequences?" Xian growled. "Believe it or not, I was actually scared. I was terrified that I might end up sending those men, loyal soldiers who had families, to their deaths. But everyone, Tujiu, my advisors, kept going on and on about how great an opportunity this was, how if I didn't act now another country would beat us to it, and a lot of other self-centered crap! They even brought up my family's death to try and get me to agree to it!"

Shifu's ears flattened against his head. He had known that Xian had had reservations about sending men to the Himalayas, but he had never imagined that he had actually been pressured into it.

"Why didn't you just say no?" He asked quietly.

"I tried, but in the end, those sleazy idiots wouldn't take no for an answer!" Xian replied angrily. "And ever since then, I've been stuck between wanting to set things right and trying to avoid making things worse! But when I try to act on behalf of my people, you immediately push me to the side and let everyone else do the dirty work! I'm okay with you blaming me for this, I know damn well that all this would never have happened if I hadn't authorized the expedition in the first place, but I  _do_  take issue with you refusing to trust me to make the right decisions!" By now Xian was shouting. "AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF THE BIRD WHO LET MY FAMILY DIE AND TRIED TO PUT IT ON ME HAS PROBABLY ESCAPED PUNISHMENT AGAIN AND THERE'S NOT A FRICKING DAMN THING I CAN DO ABOUT IT!"

The bedroom fell silent upon Xian's last outburst. The tiger seemed to freeze, as if he couldn't believe what he had just revealed, before he collapsed into a chair.

It was a while before the utterly stunned Master Shifu could speak again.

"Xian…" He spoke softly. "What are you talking about?"

"You really don't know?" Xian asked after a few moments. "Wait, of course you wouldn't. You were on the other side of the country when it happened."

"You don't need to tell me if you don't feel you can." Shifu said.

"No, I need to get it off my chest." Xian said. He wasn't looking at Shifu, instead staring down at the locket he had just pulled out from under his vest. "You already know about the fire. The attempted coup that went bad. How my father, my wife and my son all died while I lived."

Shifu nodded.

"Well, at the time, Tujiu had also been present in the palace. There had been rumors of a plot against my family for some time, and it was his job to protect us."

"And you blame him for their deaths?"

"Partly. But that's not it. You see, Tujiu had left a small gap in the defenses. A very small gap, but it was enough for the enemy to infiltrate the palace and start the battle that caused the fire that nearly consumed the imperial city." Xian closed his eyes, clearly reliving the memory of that terrible night. "My father had been killed in the first attack. My wife, Yujin, died in the fire, along with my kid."

"When you first arrived at the palace…" Shifu paused. "You said that Tigress resembled someone. I'm guessing that you meant-"

"Yujin. But of course, males and females of the same species tend to all look the same. If you had looked at the pigs and geese of the Valley of Peace you'd know that I'm right. But after the death of my family I hadn't encountered another female tiger in some years, so when I saw your student I was a little taken aback. And let's just say it brought back some bad memories."

"I see." Shifu said. "You know Tigress never intended to reopen your old wounds."

"I know that." Xian replied a little irritably. "It's just…" He looked like he was about to start crying.

"Why don't you go back to talking about Tujiu?" Shifu urged.

"Tujiu…" Xian snarled suddenly. "That coward knew he was in big trouble the moment my father's body was pulled from what was left of the palace. He had been put in charge of protecting the royal family, and he had screwed up. Everyone was starting to blame him for the tragedy. So that slimeball tried to put the blame on someone else."

Shifu stiffened.

"You mean he-"

"He accused me of organizing the coup to take my own father's throne!"

Shifu swore under his breath.

"There was a massive investigation for the next few weeks, kept secret from the public to protect my reputation. Instead of grieving for my family like I should have been doing, I spent every waking day professing my innocence. The investigation even forced us to cancel my family's funeral!" Xian's paws were now fists. "In the end I was proven innocent of the accusation, and there was nothing else Tujiu could do but shut the hell up."

"If he screwed up and then tried to blame you for it, why didn't you strip him of his rank?" Shifu replied. "That would have been a fitting punishment."

"Because that would probably make me look bad in the eyes of some people." Xian replied. "I had just been accused of betraying my own father, remember? Someone might think I was trying to get rid of him to cover myself. So I let him keep his position, though with a little less honor than he had four weeks ago. But I never forgot." Xian stood up from his chair and tucked the locket back under his vest. "And I will  _never_  forgive."

"Well he's not going to sleaze his way out of  _this_  mess." Shifu replied coldly, feeling the stirrings of true hatred in his gut. "Too many people have died for us to let him get off. When we find him-"

"I'm going to kill him." Xian snarled.

"I was going to say lock him up and throw away the key, but you're technically the boss." Shifu said. Xian actually smirked. "What about you and me? Am I forgiven?"

"Sure." Xian replied sincerely. "You know, I heard Su stick up for me earlier. I wonder why she's so nice to me? Kids her age are usually more self centered."

'Like you when you were seven years old?" Shifu replied with a smirk of his own. "Anyway, she's nice to everyone. In your case, maybe it's because she likes you."

"Likes me?" Xian raised an eyebrow. "Isn't she a bit young for-"

"I meant as a  _person_!" Shifu exclaimed, his face reddened with both anger and embarrassment. "God, what is wrong with you…"


	58. The Coming of the Storm

"Mantis, are you alright?"

"DO I BLOODY LOOK ALRIGHT?!"

Mantis was looking thoroughly miserable as he clung to dear life on Crane's back, with nothing but a piece of string connecting his torso to one of Crane's legs keeping him from being blown away.

Crane, on the other hand, was having the time of his life. He couldn't remember the last time he had flown in weather like this. The wind ruffled his feathers in rippling patterns, pushed his flight feathers to the very limits of their durability. It blew from behind the avian, giving him that little extra speed and Mantis that little extra terror. It was a thrilling sensation, and despite the situation he was loving every moment of it.

Almost every moment. He was still missing his hat, and even though there was no snow he was having trouble seeing. Night had fallen, and the wind was so fierce there was no point in trying to light a lamp. There was also a small bag of extra supplies weighing him down slightly.

He flapped several times, actually feeling the heavier pressure below his wings and the lighter pressure above allowing him to lift higher into the air as his eyes scanned the land below for signs of his comrades.

"Mantis, quit writing your will and start looking!" Crane shouted. He heard Mantis muttering and felt his appendages on his shoulders as the bug adjusted himself so he could peek over Crane's head. "The storm's going to start any minute!"

"DO YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT?!"

"And quit shouting in my ear!"

When Mantis didn't reply, Crane turned his attention back to the mountainside. He angled his wings so they pushed down the air, allowing him to glide rather than tire himself with continued flapping.

"We're coming up to the cave entrance!" Crane said. Indeed, on a sloped rocky face a hundred feet ahead he could see a small black hole. "According to Shifu they may be around here somewhere!"

"HEY, THERE THEY ARE!" Mantis suddenly hollered.

"What!?" Where?"

"Right below us, look!"

Crane looked down. Sure enough, he saw a lean orange figure and a round black and white figure far below.

But no small snake-like green figure. Crane's heart sank.

"Hold on!" He said, and made his way down to the pair.

"Guys!" He yelled as he touched down. "Guys!"

"Crane?!" Po's jaw dropped at the unexpected sight of his friends. "What the heck are you guys doing here?"

"Guys, where's Viper!"

"We don't know." Tigress replied with a downcast expression.

"What do you mean you don't know?!"

"She means that we got separated when me and Tigress fell down a crevasse. We found a way out in a completely different area and now we can't find her!"

"Brilliant!" Mantis groaned. "Now we've got to find Viper as well?"

"Shut up, Mantis!" Crane retorted.

"Crane, why are you here?" Tigress demanded.

"No time to explain, you guys are in big trouble!" Crane said quickly as Mantis rubbed his legs in an attempt to warm them up. "There's a big blizzard about to hit any second and if you don't find a cave or something right now, you're going to die!"

"And you came to tell us about this  _now_?!" Tigress yelled.

"Listen, there's a cave about north east from here, about a hundred feet away!" Crane said. He pointed in the cave's direction.

"How do you know about it?" Tigress asked. "Are you sure it's safe?"

"Probably not!" Crane said. Even down on the ground he had to shout over the wind. "It's actually the back entrance to the lost city of Shambhala. Oh, and it's probably the Yeti's secret lair."

"The Yeti's WHAT?!" Po yelled.

"What do you mean it's the back entrance to the lost city of Shambhala?" Tigress questioned, looking almost as stunned.

"Again, no time to explain!" Crane said. "You've got to get to the cave!"

"But what if it is the Yeti's-"

Po stopped talking when he felt a snowflake strike his nose.

"Huh?" He looked up. He saw snow beginning to blow down from the sky along with the wind. "Hey, I think the storm's about to start!"

"Here it comes!" Crane yelled as snow blew in their faces and nearly blinded them. "Get to the cave, now!"

"But-"

"Come on, Po!" Tigress yelled, grabbing his arm and dragging him in the direction Crane had pointed to.

"Wait, I'm coming with you!" Mantis yelled. "Let me just untie myself…"

"You guys go on ahead!" Crane yelled after them. "I'm going to find Viper!"

He began to flap his wings.

"Crane, hang on! I haven't untied myself yet, wait a minAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA…"

* * *

The storm had come.

The Yeti grunted in mild annoyance as he shoved the sack of powder kegs into a crack in between two massive boulders. There were nearly a dozen of these holes within a three mile radius of his cave, and over the years he had found them very useful for hiding things he would rather not risk keeping in the lair.

The snow blowing at his back stuck to his fur like dust particles, yet the cold did not penetrate. However, he knew he would have to return to the cave. Not just to escape the storm, but to check up on the foundry. The two molds and their contents must surely have cooled by now, and he had to check on them as quickly as possible. Then he would wait out the storm until it passed and he could move on to the next stage of his plan.

The Yeti pushed the sack further into the crack until he was sure that it was completely hidden. Then he shoved some snow onto the crack for good measure. Then he turned and faced the snow and the wind and the darkness of the night.

The sprinting-speed pace he was most comfortable with would be unwise. In this weather, it was difficult to see several feet in front of him. He would have to move a little slower, still running but slow enough so that he could better look at his surroundings, the stony landscape he knew like the back of his hand.

The Yeti brushed the snow off his face and started moving.

* * *

Half-blinded by the blizzard. Tigress shoved Po up over the edge of the rocky ledge, quickly pulling herself up after him.

"Tigress, look!" Po pointed across the ledge, which appeared to be ten foot across, towards what might just be the mouth of a cave. "I think this is it, come on!"

They both practically threw themselves through the cave entrance, and at once felt relief that they could no longer feel the biting cold wind assaulting their skin, fur and clothes.

"Dang, that's one heck of a storm!" Po exclaimed as he looked towards the mouth, where the wind and snow was still blowing violently outside. He blew on his paws and stamped his feet. "It's a good thing Crane warned us about that storm when he did!"

"Po, where's that lantern? It's a little dark in here." Tigress said.

"I've got it right here… hang on…" Suddenly there was a soft golden glow in the darkness that turned out to be Po's finger glowing with hero's chi. Po gave her a reassuring grin and stuck the finger into the lantern. At once it began to glow on its own.

"Okay, we're here." Po said as his finger stopped glowing. "What do we do now?"

"We wait for Crane." Tigress replied.

"Do you think he, Mantis and Viper will be okay?" Po asked worriedly.

"Yes." Tigress replied. "Crane has flown through weather like this before, and he and Mantis know the path we've been taking. They'll know to follow that path to look for Viper."

"But what if they can't make it back here?"

"Po, the area where we got separated from Viper is full of caves. I'm sure they'll find a place to wait out the storm. And Viper has your pack of supplies, remember?"

Po nodded, but he still looked concerned.

"Po." Tigress stepped towards Po. She put a paw on his shoulder. "They're going to be okay."

Po didn't smile.

"Tigress… I…"

"Look, I know you're worried. We both are. But right now we can't afford to be distracted." Tigress said firmly. "We can't stay here."

"What?! Why not?"

"Po, this is very likely the Yeti's lair." Tigress's eyes narrowed. "And with a storm like this, it won't be long before it decides to return to base."

Po turned pale.

"So what? We risk going back out there and freezing to death?"

"I didn't say that. Do you remember what Crane said?"

"You'll have to be more specific."

Tigress scowled.

"He said that this cave is likely a back door to a lost city." She said. "I have no idea where he got that from, but if it's true we have to find it."

"Why?"

"Because an abandoned city makes a far better hiding place than a cave. If we can find this back entrance and enter the city without the Yeti realizing we're here, we might be able to hide in one of the buildings until the storm passes." Tigress explained. "Don't give me that look, it's the only plan we've got!"

"Alright, alright… wait, how do you know it's abandoned?"

"Because if the city was full of people, there would be a hell of a lot more than just one Yeti guarding it."

"Point taken. Let's start looking."

Most unusually for a cave that was supposed to be a monster's lair, the place was mostly bare. It wasn't a traditional cave, the kind that was basically a massive single tunnel. It had been split up by naturally formed walls into a single large cavern and two smaller caverns on both sides, almost like a tiny house. The only point of interest was a pair of holes, a larger hold above the smaller hole, in the wall opposite the entrance that bore more than a passing resemblance to shelves. In fact there were two bloodstained imperial army helmets, a single scroll and a small bronze statue of a meditating tiger sitting inside them.

"You know, for a monster's lair it doesn't smell very bad." Po pointed out. Tigress chose to ignore him. "Bang goes my childhood."

"Excuse me?"

"In every monster story I've been told when I was a kid, the monster's lair always smells like something died in it!" Po was actually sulking. "Sucks to know that I've been lied to all those years!"

Tigress stared at Po, then took a deep breath.

"I like you, Po, but forgive me when I say that it's going to be a long time before I can master the art of talking to you."

"You're forgiven."

"Can we get back to searching?" Tigress said. "If we haven't found the back door by now, then there may be a switch somewhere."

"Like in the water chamber in the Temple of Heroes?"

"Yeah, like that."

"Hey, you remember in the water chamber, where there was a flooded room with a hole in the ceiling you could only see through its reflection in a giant mirror?" Po asked.

"Yeah. Are you saying there may be an invisible door somewhere?"

"No, but maybe we shouldn't be focusing on the walls so much."

"Good idea. You take the floor and I'll take the ceiling." Tigress said, slightly annoyed that she hadn't thought of that herself.

Po got down on his paws and knees while Tigress leapt up and dug her claws into the stone ceiling.

After an indeterminate time searching, Po called out.

"Hey, check this out!"

Tigress leapt down and joined Po in the center of the main cave, getting down on her paws and knees beside him. The panda was focused on the stone floor, wiping away the dust and dirt that covered it. In minutes he had uncovered a large circular swirling pattern on the cold flat surface.

"That doesn't look natural, does it?" Po asked.

"No. Good work, Po." Tigress said.

Their shoulders bumped against each other as they worked together to clear the floor, a pleasant warm contact compared to the snow still matting their fur.

A few moments later they leant back on their knees, rubbing their blackened paws. The circular engraving was now the size of the Jade Palace Moon Pool.

"Awesome!" Po said. "Hey, what's that tiny hole in the middle?"

The pair leant forward. Indeed, there was a small hole in the center of the engraving.

"Looks like you need to put something in there." Po said. "Tigress, it looks like your claws might fit. Give it a try."

Tigress wordlessly unsheathed a claw and inserted it into the hole.

Suddenly the floor collapsed.

The pair of them was too surprised to scream or make any other noise before they plummeted into the darkness. At first, all they felt was the cold air rushing past them, then pain as they struck an angled stone surface and began tumbling over and over down a steep slope, then more pain as they reached the bottom and skidded to a stop across the rough surface.

For a moment, neither of them moved. Then Tigress groaned and got to her feet.

"Po?" She asked after checking herself and finding only a torn sleeve on her coat. "Po, are you okay?"

Po moaned loudly and rolled over onto his stomach.

"Owww…" He muttered. "What the heck was that?"

"Obviously a trap to catch the unwary." Tigress looked up at the hole they had just fallen through. A stone door hung down the side of the tube like a trapdoor. "The circular pattern had made us expect a staircase or something."

"And it worked." Po groaned and stood up. "You alright?"

"Yes." Tigress and Po turned to face the single stone corridor that lay ahead of them. "After you."

Side by side, they cautiously crept through the stone tunnel. As they walked, the tunnel walls gradually became less rough and ragged and more smooth and evidently man-made. Carvings of magnificent cities could be made out despite their being faded with age. Soon enough a faint light could been seen at the end, pale white like the moon.

They reached the end of the corridor. They took in the sight before them.

"Wow…" Po whispered. Tigress merely stared. "This… is… AWESOME!"


	59. The Temple

"AWESOME!"

Po's awed cry echoed across the massive city that stood before them, nestled perfectly in the valley surrounded by mountains tall enough to touch the stars.

To the eyes of a narrow minded person, it would have looked like any ordinary city, but with magnificently stone buildings of a similar architecture to the fortress decorated with carvings of mountainous environments connected with wide sturdy bridges that looked longer than the Gongmen River, stretching high above a misty greyish black abyss. The city appeared to be arranged in a circular shape: the small to regular sized buildings, plus several larger buildings that looked important, all seemed to circle a single massive building that stood on an island above the abyss in the very center of the city. But it wasn't this that had left both Po and Tigress in complete awe. It was the lush vegetation that was consuming the entire city. It didn't look overgrown. It looked green. Green as in fresh and bright and dotted with white and crimson flowers shaped like stars. It was as if someone had initially decided to build a city of stone, but then changed their minds and turned it into a garden. Not even the Wudan Mountains and their green forests and fields could compare to its beauty.

"Talk about wonders of the world." Tigress whispered.

"Yeah…" Po replied. "Come on, let's go check it out!"

"Po!" Tigress grabbed him before he could even try to run off. "What did Shifu tell you about thinking before you act?"

"To think before you act."

"Po, we need to be careful. We have no idea what condition the city is in now, and there's no guarantee that it's uninhabited."

"But we're still checking it out, right?"

"Right. But keep your voice down until we're positive that there's no-one here. Got it?"

"Got it." Po whispered softly.

"You don't have to whisper, just don't shout."

"Okay."

Tigress pinched her nose.

"Can we just stop talking and get down there?" She demanded.

Po nodded, and began walking down the stone steps that led down to one of the many bridges. Actually, he tip-toed down, as if he was worried that one of the bricks would dislodge beneath his feet.

"For god sakes…" Tigress stormed down the steps past him, and spent the next few minutes standing at the bottom, arms folded, waiting impatiently for the panda to reach her. When he did, she turned to face the bridge in front of them. Her gaze travelled upwards.

"Hey, Po." She said softly. "Look at the sky."

Po followed her gaze.

"The storm's still raging above us. I see it."

"But look at the snow." Tigress replied. "It's just blowing right past this valley. Why isn't it reaching us?"

"Hey, you're right." Po said suddenly. "It looks like something's keeping the storm from touching this place. Weird…"

Tigress lowered her gaze back to the bridge. It looked more than a little sturdy, but after the little incident in the crevasse she wasn't taking any chances.

"We'll go one at a time." She said. "I'll go first, and then you follow when I give the all clear."

Po nodded. Tigress cautiously stepped onto the bridge. In less than a minute she was across, and nothing had happened. She motioned for Po to follow. He was soon at her side.

"Great, it looks like the bridges are gonna hold us!" Po said cheerfully. "So, which way now?"

They were now standing at a three pronged fork in the road. The left and right bridges led deeper into the city, while the bridge in the middle led to another set of stairs that led up to what appeared to be a bell tower.

"Let's take the stairs." Tigress said. "I want to get a lay of the land."

"Good idea." Po said. For a moment Tigress was confused that Po hadn't agreed with his usual cheer… but then she realized exactly how many steps there were.

"Come on, Po. It's just three hundred steps. That's not even a third of the ten thousand steps."

This seemed to cheer Po up a little, and he started walking up the steps. Tigress followed, and five minutes later Po was at the top, leaning forward on his knees and panting like a hot dog.

While he regained his breath Tigress marveled at the massive bell hanging in the middle of the small open building that sat at the top. It was decorated with ordinary crystals rather than precious gems, but was still beautiful all the same.

"Hey, Tigress…" Po panted. "What did… Crane say this place… was called?"

"Shambhala."

"Shambhala?"

"Yes." Tigress said. "Some people believe it to be a sort of paradise."

"Huh." Po straightened up, now more or less recovered. "You know, it does kinda look like a paradise."

Tigress looked over the green, red and white of the foliage covering the place, and nodded in agreement.

"This kind of reminds me of something Oogway once told me about while he was teaching me how to write." Tigress said. Po gave her an odd look. "I didn't get to learn much at the orphanage." She quickly explained. "Anyway, when I was a little girl Oogway used to cheer me up by telling me stories of the world-wide journey he had made before settling in China. One of the things he mentioned was something called 'the Hanging Gardens.' I don't remember much about it, it was a long time ago."

"The Hanging Gardens? Sounds awesome." Po said. "Do you think this is a Hanging Garden?"

"It's beautiful enough to be one." Tigress said. "I can't imagine what it looked like before everyone disappeared."

"Yeah." Po had a fleeting image of a bustling stone city full of people peacefully tending to the flowers that covered their home, and it made him grin. "Hey, Tigress. Do you think these flowers are pretty?"

"They're very beautiful, yes."

While Tigress was still examining the bell, Po quietly plucked a red flower from the vegetation covering a pillar and tucked it beneath his coat.

"Po! Look over there!"

"What?!" Po yelped.

"There's smoke coming from one of the chimneys!"

Po followed Tigress's finger, and saw the steady black stream rising up from one of the bigger buildings.

"It's too big compared to the others to be normal building." Tigress said. "It might be a factory of some sort."

"A fireworks factory?"

"Perhaps. Let's check it out. And keep quiet. It's pretty likely that there's someone over there."

"What if it's the Yeti?"

"Then we get the hell out of here." Tigress said. Po's jaw dropped in disbelief. "I know, it's incredible that I'm actually trying to avoid a fight, but that creature is too strong for our kung fu to be effective! If we try to fight it, we're dead!"

Po gulped.

"Alright, then." He said. "Guess it's time to turn on my stealth mode."

He began walking back down the stairs… and by walking it really meant that he was literally moving at a snail's pace. It took five seconds for him to put one foot on the stairs… and another five seconds to put his other foot next to it.

Tigress gave him one look and then gave him a shove.

* * *

Footprints.

The moment the Yeti found the two rapidly fading sets of footprints leading in the general direction of his cave, he knew something was about to happen that he didn't want. The main entrance to the city had been blocked off long ago, but if the intruders were to discover the secret back door…

The Yeti steeled itself against the blizzard and started running.

* * *

"Tigress, it's okay. You didn't know my belt was old."

Tigress's plan had been to give Po a shove, and then grab him before he could tumble down the stairs as usual, so the panda would be shocked into moving a little faster. She hadn't counted on grabbing him by the belt being a very,  _very_ bad idea. And now, as they walked through the deserted streets of the lost city, Po was busying himself with stitching his belt together with needle and thread while his coat was tied around his lower half like a loin cloth. Tigress, meanwhile, was smirking and blushing like an idiot, while at the same time taking in the black and white shirt she had not expected Po to be wearing under his coat.

"Isn't that the shirt Princess Haoxin made you?" She eventually asked.

"Yeah." Po said. He snapped the thread once he was finished sowing. "There, all done. Tigress, could you cover your eyes?"

Tigress covered her eyes. One minute of rustling fabric later, he told Tigress to open them. He was now wearing his coat properly and bearing patched pants once more.

"I really am sorry, Po." Tigress said.

"Nah, it's okay." Po replied. "I kinda had it coming."

Tigress was about to respond when the street opened up and they found themselves in a square courtyard that looked more like a garden. In the middle of the square was the large building emanating smoke. It was the only building not covered in flowers. Tigress looked at the sign above the entrance doors.  
"It's not a factory. It's a foundry." She said. "Incredible. This place must have been abandoned for centuries, yet looks like it's still in working condition."

"Huh. More like decades."

Tigress turned her head to look at Po.

"Decades?"

"Yeah. This place reminds me of an abandoned house just outside the village. No-one had lived there for thirty years, but it was still in okay condition. Just some peeling paint, dust everywhere, stuff like that."

Tigress examined the buildings surrounding them, and realized that Po had a point. None of the buildings looked particularly dilapidated, despite it being obvious that no-one had inhabited them for a long time. In fact, if the city had in fact been abandoned for centuries, it would have been a crumbling ruin by now.

And why exactly had it been abandoned? If there had been an invasion or some other disaster, there would have been structural damage and certain remains in the streets. But there was nothing like that here. Only empty buildings, as if everyone had just gotten up and left overnight.

What had happened here?

What connection did this place have with the fortress?

And why was the Yeti so determined to protect it?

"Hey, are we gonna check this place out or not?" Po asked, snapping Tigress out of her troubling thoughts.

"Yes, but we're not barging in through the front door." Tigress pointed to a high window. "That's our way in."

"Great. More climbing." Po mumbled.

* * *

In the wind and rapidly falling snow, the footprints disappeared completely as the Yeti raced across the wasteland. The Yeti cursed. Now he would have no way of knowing if the warriors were going to find his cave or not.

But that wouldn't stop him from checking, he realized.

He shook off the snow that had collected on his fur and resumed running.

* * *

"Wow." Po said as he and Tigress gazed at the massive vat in the room emanating intense heat and a bright orange glow. "That's even bigger than the one in Gongmen City."

The vat looked like it was the only working thing in the building. All the other sophisticated machinery was still and cold. And there was no-one home.

But it did confirm Tigress's suspicions that the place wasn't entirely abandoned.

"Po, we should leave." She said. "I have a feeling the Yeti is behind this, and it's smart enough to not leave a giant vat of molten metal unattended for too long."

"Where are we gonna go then?" Po asked.

"We'll hide somewhere in the other side of the city, as far away from the foundry as possible." Tigress said. "But first there is one more place I want to check out."

"Where?"

"That temple in the center of this city. I have a feeling that there is something important to find there."

* * *

Half an hour later, Tigress was sitting on a stone rail at the top of the thousand steps, patiently waiting for her black and white comrade. She shivered and tugged her coat tighter around herself. With the storm, it was even colder than usual.

"Hah!" Po's black paw emerged. "Hah!" Po's other paw appeared a second later. "Haaaaah…" Po pulled himself up onto the stone floor before Tigress. "One of these days… I will defeat you, stairs!"

Tigress got up and pulled Po to his feet.

"Come on, I want to be in there and out in five minutes." She said.

"Okay…" Po was still gasping. "Just give me… one extra minute… to regain control of my lungs…"

"Fine. You wait here while I check the place out." Tigress said impatiently.

"No!" Po suddenly straightened up. "No, I'll come with you! You shouldn't go in there by yourself!"

Before Tigress could reply Po walked up to the large front doors of the temple, grabbed one of the silver rings and pulled. And pulled.

"You can't open it?"

"Hang on, I've got it…" Po grunted as he pulled in vain at the door.

"You can't open it."

"Tigress, I've been weight training for months." Po pulled. "I can lift three times my own bodyweight, and considering my bodyweight that's impressive." And pulled. "In terms of upper body strength I'm second only to you, and could you give me a hand please?"

Tigress smirked as she grabbed the ring and pulled along with Po. With some effort, they were able to pull the door open wide enough for them to slip through.

"Po, there's no light in here." Tigress said. "Where's that lantern?"

A second later Po was holding up the lantern once more, and as the light filled the room they realized that they were standing in an entrance chamber, one at least half the size of the chamber back in the fortress of White Fortitude. The walls were crimson and decorated with paintings of green mountains and mulit-colored flowers. The pillars had slender dragons twisted around them like vines. Three doors, one leading to the left, one leading to the right, and one leading straight forward, were illuminated in the lamplight.

"Awesome…" Po murmured. "So, which way do we go?"

Tigress gave him a glance of reassurance.

"When in doubt…" She took the lantern from Po. "Head left."

The left hand door led to a small library with red walls and dozens of small paintings.

"Whoa, another library!" Po exclaimed. These guys sure like to read!"

There were two small wooden doors in the room, both locked. Neither of them were willing to attempt breaking them down. After all, they were inside what was very likely a sacred temple. It would be wrong to desecrate it. Instead they turned their attention to the scrolls.

"I wonder if they have secret kung fu secrets in here!" Po grabbed a scroll and unrolled it. His excited expression turned to a frown. "Aw man. It's just a scroll about the construction of that foundry we went to earlier."

Tigress raised an eyebrow and took a scroll from a different shelf. It turned out to be a general's oath of allegiance to someone called the Dragon Empress. The general mentioned the Empress's name. Ember.

"Ember…" Tigress whispered.

"Ember?" Po asked. "Isn't that what Su had said when she was sleepwalking?"

"Yes." Tigress said. "Whoever this Ember is must have been the ruler of this city. Why would Su mention her?"

"Obviously she had something to do with the fortress." Tigress said. "Po, I think this library holds all the records of the major events that happen in this city. Let's look for the more recent ones."

"Why?"

"So we can figure out what happened here."

"Jeez, how many mysteries are there?" Po moaned, but all the same searched the shelves. It soon became apparent that there were labels concealed beneath the dust, and once they were rubbed clean it became a lot more easier to find the more recent scrolls. After two minutes Po found what they were looking for.

"Hey, listen to this!" He said. "According to this scroll, the Dragon Empress had been the keeper of this important artifact called the 'Eternal Ember'. But something really bad happened and the Eternal Ember became badly damaged. Its keeper was also injured pretty badly, and died a little while after."

"What sort of disaster?"

"Don't know. There's blood covering that part so I can't read it. Yuck."

"Anything else?"

"Yeah. Apparently this organization called the 'order' had been behind the attack, and fearing an invasion everyone evacuated this place. It doesn't say where they went."

"So that's why this place is deserted. Does it mention anything about our Yeti friend?"

"Nope. That's it. There's no other scroll about what happened."

"Well at least it answers a question or two." Tigress said. "Let's check out the rest of this place. I don't want to stay too long."

They returned to the entrance hall and walked across to the door on the right. What they found behind it made their spines tingle.

It looked like a large office for some important individual. However, all the office furniture had been shoved messily towards the sides, and a single bare bed stood in the middle, covered in brown stains. At its side was a little table covered in what appeared to be bottles of medicine and medical instruments. All the instruments were bloodstained.

"Woah." Po said. "This place is going to give me nightmares."

He spotted a small scroll amongst the bottles. He picked it up, glanced at the bed, and began to read.

" _Diagnosis: Third degree burns covering 85% of her body. Single stab wound to stomach. The Empress's spiritual power has kept the damage from spreading to her internal organs. However, the injuries show no sign of healing quickly, and the patient is comatose. It is unlikely that she will survive the night._

_The fortress will be a good place to lay her to rest once she passes. If we ever find the monsters who did this, we will make them burn in hell._ "

Po looked at the bed again, suddenly feeling sick.

"My god…" He whispered.


	60. The Painting

"ANY SIGN OF VIPER?!" Crane now had to holler over the violent wind. "MANTIS!"

"WILL YOU HANG ON A BLOODY MINUTE, PLEASE?!"

"I CAN'T HANG ON! WE'VE GOT TO FIND VIPER!"

"CRANE, I'M HANGING ON FOR MY LIFE HERE!"

"YOU'VE GOT A ROPE, HAVEN'T YOU?"

"THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"

"WHAT ARE YOU-" Crane turned his head. "Oh crap!"

At once Crane tilted his body until he was heading for the ground below. It was a tough ride. The wind was continuing to assault him and he was now almost completely blinded by the snow. Eventually he touched down, allowing Mantis to climb back up onto his shoulder.

"Didn't you notice I wasn't on your shoulder anymore?!" Mantis yelled right next to Crane's head. "What if the rope had snapped? I could have died!"

"Sorry, Mantis." Crane said. "I'm just worried about Viper."

"'Just?'" A familiar voice cried at that very moment. "What do you mean  _just_?"

"Viper?" Crane spun around in the blizzard. He saw nothing. Only darkness and falling snow. "Viper, where are you?"

"Try looking down, you big idiot!"

Crane and Mantis looked down… and leapt away reflexively from the edge.

They had touched down at the edge of what had at first appear to be a sheer cliff, but as they strained to see through the storm they soon realized that it was actually a large flat rock. They still couldn't see Viper, though.

"Viper!" Crane yelled.

"Down here! Look over the edge!"

The two guys did as they were told. They saw the snowy ground about six feet below them. And then they saw a familiar heart shaped head poke out to look at them.

"Viper!" Crane exclaimed, his heart leaping at the sight of her, and leapt rather than flew down to meet her. A high pitched masculine shriek followed him, and as he touched down he heard a small thump next to him. A moment later Mantis pulled himself out of the bug-shaped hole in the snow.

"For crying out loud, Crane!" He yelled as he untied himself from the rope that was doing more harm than good.

This time Crane ignored him. The avian was too busy approaching the small cave they had been standing on top of all along and the snake sitting just inside the mouth.

"Viper, you're okay!" He said.

"Crane!" Viper looked just as happy to see though, even if she did also look a little peeved. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to look for you. We learned that there was a storm on the way and we were sent out to warn you and bring you back if we could." Crane said.

"Any sign of Monkey?" Mantis asked eagerly. His shoulders slumped when Viper shook her head. Then her expression turned frantic.

"Crane, Tigress and Po fell down a crevasse." Viper said fearfully. "They decided to follow the caverns to find a way out and I haven't seen them since! I tried to follow the crevasse myself but then this blizzard came! We've got to find them!"

"Don't worry, they made it out." Crane said. Viper's eyes went wide. "We pointed them to a cave not too far from here."

"And now we can join them and wait out this stupid storm!" Mantis was shivering on the spot. "Can we go now,  _please_?!"

"Keep your voice down!" Viper hissed angrily. "We're standing near a pretty steep slope, and I'm not sure the snow up there is stable."

"Okay, sorry." Mantis cowered a little, not at all liking the thought of being buried alive. "But can we please just go?"

"I don't know." Crane said, just as a shiver ran through his body and shook his feathers. "Let's continue this discussion in the cave."

They went inside.

* * *

The Yeti skidded to a halt right next to the cliff.

He looked on, his sharp eyes more than capable of seeing through the blizzard as long as he was standing still, as the warriors stepped into the cave below.

This was interesting. He didn't know why so many of the warriors had left the relative safety of the fortress, and at the moment he didn't care. All that mattered was that they were dangerously close to his cave. If he allowed them to live, there was a high chance that with a little more exploring, the sacred city would fall into the hands of his and  _her_  enemies.

The tiger and the panda weren't with them, but no matter. If he planned things carefully, there would be three less warriors to worry about by the end of this night.

He had left all the powder kegs in the crack, so blowing them up wasn't an option. He couldn't fight them directly. There was no guarantee that he would come out unscathed, and he couldn't afford to be injured in this weather.

And then he realized exactly where he was.

In front of him was a mountainside that a couple of decades ago had been known as the 'Hill of White Death'. It was infamous for being the site of countless avalanches. No lives had ever been claimed, thankfully, but everyone had stayed away from the general area all the same.

Except for the three currently residing in a cave right beneath the dangerous slope.

Perfect. He wouldn't even have to get close.

The Yeti took a deep breath and roared. The terrible sound echoed into the night.

The effect was immediate.

Though he couldn't see far enough to witness it, he could still hear the low rumble as the snow began shift. He turned his attention back to the cave below. He saw the avian, the insect and the snake step outside, obviously having heard his rear and decided to investigate. The Yeti knew that their visibility was poor in this condition. They could hear, but likely wouldn't see the avalanche until it was too late.

And then the Yeti saw the wall of white cascading into view, heading straight for the cave. It was a massive one, probably a thousand meters long, a rampaging river of white death.

The Yeti heard a faint yell.

"Oh my god!"

The snake had seen the avalanche first, which was now fifty meters away and closing in fast. They wouldn't get away in time. Avalanches could reach speeds of up to eight miles an hour, and this one was fast.

"Guys, run!" The Yeti recognized the insect's voice as he frantically hurried back into the cave.

The avalanche reached the cave with a roar that was deafening even from a distance. In a single second, the Yeti witnessed the avian lift the snake with his beak and fling her into the cave after the bug, and then the snow consumed him.

Seconds later, it was over. The rumble faded into nothing as the snow settled and became still. The cave was now buried, save for the one corner of the flat rock protruding from the snow.

The Yeti turned away. Even if the warriors weren't dead, it would take time for them to dig their way out, days at the most. And by the time they did, the Yeti's work may very well be finished.

But right now he had a panda and a tiger to kill.

* * *

"What was that?" Po's ears twitched at the faint sound of rumbling in the distance.

"Sounds like an avalanche." Tigress murmured. "I think it's coming from outside this valley."

They stood in silence in the dark nightmarish room for some time, until the thundering sound faded and all was quiet once more.

Po glanced at the bloodstained bed, grimaced and turned away.

"I'm getting out of here." He said. He stepped out the room and leaned against the wall, breathing through his nose and trying to hold back the nausea.

He imagined a dark figure splayed out on the table, squirming in agony, surrounding by numerous other figures wielding tiny sharp knives dripping red. He closed his eyes, trying to expel the image, but it was no use. He felt sick with horror, and also sadness. Whoever this Ember person was, she must have suffered terribly before dying…

"Po." Tigress exited the room at that moment. "Po, are you okay?"

"Tigress." Po spoke. For a few seconds he looked older than he really was. "There's something I forgot to tell you. It's about what happened in the burning building."

Tigress didn't reply. Instead she waited for him to continue.

"When the Yeti was choking me, something really strange happened. I saw this person amongst the flames. She was wearing a mask, so I couldn't see her face, but I could tell from her figure that it was a woman. Anyway, this woman told the Yeti to spare my life. And it obeyed her."

"What?" Tigress was astonished.

"She disappeared as soon as the Yeti let me go. I wasn't sure before, because I couldn't see her that well because of the fire, but I think that that woman and the demon who assaulted me and Crane are the same person."

"Po, where are you going with this?"

"Tigress, I think it's obvious now that the fortress and this city are connected." Po said. "And I'm pretty sure that the dead ruler of this city is in that tomb."

Tigress's eyes widened.

"Of course! That's why the Yeti's so obsessed with getting us out the fortress! It doesn't want us desecrating her final resting place! And her ghost is helping him along!" Suddenly she frowned. "Wait, that may not be true…"

"Huh?"

"Po, remember that scroll that mentioned the disaster that struck this place? It also mentioned something called the 'Eternal Ember'."

"Oh yeah. It mentioned something about it being damaged."

"Po, what if Ember's body isn't the only thing the Yeti's protecting? What if the 'Eternal Ember' is somewhere in that fortress?"

"What is the Eternal Ember, anyway?" Po asked.

"Don't know. But there is one more place we need to check, and it might hold the answer."

They turned their heads to the third door.

"You go first!" Po said quickly. "If it's anything like the last room, I'm staying right here!"

Tigress sighed and opened the door. After a second's observation, she turned her head slightly.

"Po, it's alright."

The room they both stepped into was just as dark as the others. In the light of the lantern they saw that it was circular, and roughly the same size as the Gongmen throne room. At first it appeared to be empty, with the exception of the beautiful fiery imagery that covered the walls, and the six ornately carved pillars that supported the ceiling, until they reached the side of the room directly opposite the doors.

There was a single wooden table, adorned with used candles dripping with hardened wax. Among the candles was two fragments of a translucent red rock the size of Po's head.

"What is this?"

Tigress shrugged.

"This room is a sacred place. Chances are this is the Eternal Ember the scroll was talking about."

"Busted beyond repair." Po said. "Total bummer."

He took a moment to stretch his arms, and as he did so his gaze lifted to the wall behind the table… and froze.

He was staring at the biggest painting he had ever seen. It stretched from bottom to floor and was more than half as wide. But it wasn't the size that awed him.

It was the woman in the painting. Her body was twisted to the side, but her head was almost directly facing the panda looking up at her, a regal, almost thoughtful pose. She was wearing an unusual crimson dress. While the top half was normal for an expensive Chinese gown, the skirt looked like it had been cut into several ribbons, which draped loosely around her legs, which bore jet black tight pants and equally black shoes that resembled Po's. She was wearing dark gloves and her couldn't see her tail, making it impossible to determine her species. Her entire head was encased in an intimidating looking red and black dragon mask, but somehow Po knew she was looking directly at him, probably with piercing dark eyes.

Po shivered.

"It's her…" He whispered.

"What?" Tigress had heard him.

"That woman. It's the same woman who saved my life. I recognize the mask."

"So it  _is_  Ember in that tomb." Tigress said. "And somehow even in death she has a physical presence." She turned to Po. " _Why_  did she spare your life after she attacked and killed you in your dream? It doesn't make sense."

Po shrugged.

_Ruuumble…_

Tigress crossed her arms.

Po blinked and patted his stomach.

"Sorry. Can we get out of here, now?"

"Sure." Tigress said.

She and Po left the room and crossed the hall. They left the temple and stopped at the top of the stairs.

"So, where do we go now?" Po asked. In answer Tigress pointed to the area of the city directly opposite the foundry.

"Our best bet is to hide in one of the smaller houses." She said. "Once we find a spot, we probably shouldn't leave until the storm passes unless we have to." She switched her gaze to the small tunnel they had entered from in the distance. "Once it passes, we get out of here, find Viper, Crane and Mantis and then-  _damn!_  Po, we have to go, now!"

"Wait, what?"

"Look!"

Po followed her frantic finger, narrowed his eyes so he could make out the tunnel better… and his heart jumped when he saw the massive dark figure standing just in the mouth of the tunnel. Even from so far a distance, there was no doubt that it had spotted them.

"Oh crap!" Po looked around for anything he could use for a weapon, even as the Yeti began sprinting down the stairs towards the bridge crossroad.

"This way!" Tigress grabbed Po's arm and started running.

Taking the stairs was a bad idea. Instead they swiftly clambered down the side of the massive temple. It was frightening work. They had to leap down from one part of the architecture to another, and one slip could send them tumbling into the abyss below. But eventually they made it to one of the bridges that appeared to lead to a lower part of the temple. They went in the opposite direction, deep into the streets and alleys of the city.

* * *

The Yeti did not pursue the two intruders right away. Instead he sprinted at top speed to the foundry, hoping they hadn't sabotaged his work. A quick check confirmed that they hadn't touched anything.

The Yeti was relieved, but more than that he was angry. Not only did his mistress's enemies intrude the sacred fortress of the empress, they had to trespass in his home and the sacred temple, too! The Yeti snarled as he left the foundry and began his pursuit. His heart quickened and his muscles were tensed. His eyes were slits and his sharp fangs were bared. His vision became clouded with red as he thought of the damage the two must have inflicted within the temple's rooms.

When he got his hands on them, they were going to  _bleed_.


	61. White, Black and Red

"Viper." Mantis said hesitantly. "We've been digging for a while. I don't think he's…"

"SHUT UP!" Viper yelled as she scraped at the snow blocking the entrance with a small bowl from the travel pack Po had lost. She had had the sense to bring it with her after their little grip had been separated. "Just shut up and dig! Crane!"

She shouted his name over and over as she dug. He had never before seen her so panicked. Mantis buttoned his lips, set his jaw and resumed digging with a small spoon.

And then, the most incredible thing happened. They heard a small groan coming from the mass of white. It sounded close.

"Crane!" Mantis shouted. "Crane, buddy, is that you?!"

He was interrupted by Viper tossing the bowl aside and flinging herself at the snow, burrowing into it like a worm burrowing into an apple. In seconds she had disappeared from view, a small hole in her place.

Seconds passed. Mantis's grip tightened enough to crack the spoon in two. And then Viper emerged head first, her expression determined, her body taught as if she was dragging something behind her. That something quickly turned out to be Crane as she pulled him from the snow by the leg. The avian looked unconscious.

"Crane!" Mantis leapt to Crane's side. "Where's the smelling salts?!"

But then Crane moaned again, and mumbled something under his breath. Viper was at Crane's side in an instant.

"Crane, honey, can you hear me?" Viper asked frantically.

Crane mumbled again. Aside from his feathers being coated in rapidly thawing snow, the bird looked unharmed.

"Crane, what are you saying, buddy?" Mantis asked.

Crane spoke a little louder.

"Why is it always the left one?"

At that moment Viper and Mantis realized that Crane's left wing was bent at an unusual angle, probably caused by the initial impact of the avalanche. Viper made a strange noise somewhere between a hiss and a gasp.

"You stay with him, Viper." Mantis said. "I'll get the medical supplies." He hopped over to the two packs that sat at the back of the cave.

Viper leaned in towards Crane. Now that it was obvious that he wasn't mortally wounded, she was smiling.

"How are you doing, Crane?" She asked softly.

"Viper." Crane murmured groggily. "Thank heavens you're okay."

"Don't worry, bud. I'm here too." Mantis said as he returned with a small box.

Crane frowned despite his current condition.

"Who are you?" He asked.

Mantis's smile faded.

"Love really does make people stupid." He muttered.

Tigress reached the top of the steps first and spun around to take one last look at the city. Her golden eyes scanned the closest buildings, but she saw no sign of the Yeti. She wasn't comforted in the slightest.

"Tigress!" Po called as he made it to the top after her. Normally he would be sweating buckets after climbing those steps, but tonight fear for himself and his friend had lent him stamina. "Tigress, any sign of him?"

She shook her head.  
"We may have lost him, but just in case let's not stick around to find out." Tigress said. "Come on!"

"But the storm…"

"We'll worry about that later!" Tigress grabbed his arm and they both ran into the dark corridor. In seconds they had reached the end. They stared up at the stone slope they had fallen down hours before. Thankfully the trick floor had not sealed itself yet.

"We'll have to use the walls." Tigress said. "Po, do you remember what Shifu taught you about using the environment to your advantage?"

Po nodded.

"Alright. You go first and I'll give you a boost."

Tigress knelt down and linked her fingers together. Three seconds later Po was flying through the air towards one of the vertical stone walls. Just as Master Shifu had taught him, Po quickly rebounded off the wall and repeated the move on the opposite wall a little higher up. He repeated this wall jump maneuver until his fingers caught the edge of the hole and he pulled himself up. All the while he kept a firm hold on the lantern.

"Tigress, come on!"

Being far more athletic than the panda, Tigress did not need a boost to reach the wall above the ramp. She wall jumped up until Po grabbed her wrist and lifted her into the cave.

"Any idea how to close this thing?" Po asked as he stared at the trapdoor.

Tigress was about to reply that she had no idea, when they saw a terrifying sight at the bottom of the ramp below them: a tall but muscled dark furred creature glaring up at them with murderous eyes. In each clawed hand it appeared to be carrying a large glowing bolas with a single ball.

"Gah!" Po yelped.

"Run!" Tigress yelled. They both sprinted for the mouth of the cave.

There was no time for climbing. Instead Tigress dived headfirst over the edge of the ledge. Po screamed as he followed her down, his arms and legs flailing helplessly.

Through the wind and snow, Tigress soared down through the dark air and landed perfectly on a flat area of the landscape covered in half a foot of snow. She caught Po as he reached the ground and redirected him towards a nearby mound of snow, his momentum actually destroying the mound upon impact.

As Po got to his feet and shook off the effects of his clumsy landing, Tigress gazed at her surroundings. In this weather, it was very difficult to tell exactly where they were.

"Think we lost him?" Po asked. When Tigress looked at him, she saw that he had crossed his arms as if to warm his paws up. She was beginning to feel a little cold herself, now that the adrenaline was beginning to wear off.

"Probably not." She said. "But right now our first priority is to find shelter. Let's get out of here before that thing finds us again."

"Okay." Po said, then to Tigress's surprise linked arms with her. "It's just so we don't get separated. You can kill me later."

Tigress merely nodded, and together they walked forward. The landscape continued to be flat and white as they walked in silence, not wanting to do anything that would alert the Yeti to their location. It was probably still searching for them right now.

They slowed their pace as they neared the literal end of their path. The edge of a vast abyss lay before them. Whether or not they were standing at the edge of a cliff or another crevasse, it was impossible to tell. The visibility was terrible.

"Darnit." Po muttered. "I guess we should turn back."

"Okay." Tigress said. "Keep an eye out for anything that may serve as protection from this blizzard."

"Okay." Po said.

They turned around, just to see the glowing orange projectile soaring towards them like a cannonball.

"LOOKOUT!"

Tigress shoved Po in one direction and leapt in the other as a second later the projectile struck the ground where they had been standing and exploded violently. A glowing orange liquid flew in all directions, steaming and melting the snow where it landed.

"What the…"

As Tigress struggled to figure out what had just been thrown at them, she felt something thick and very hot strike the fabric of her coat covering her left shoulder. Tigress turned her head, and her eyes widened as her shoulder burst into flames.

She didn't take time to unfasten her coat. She practically tore it apart and flung it to the ground at her side.

Almost at once she regretted it. Before it had been cold, but now that she was wearing nothing but her vest, the blizzard felt like a million tiny icicles striking her bare arms again and again. Soon, far too soon, Tigress started to shiver.

She stared down at her coat, which was now consumed in flame, the heat melting the snow around it and exposing the black rock beneath. She recognized the glowing fluid. It was molten metal. The Yeti had probably taken it from the foundry.

Suddenly she heard a thump in the distance. The sound of something large landing on the ground after leaping down from a large height.

Speak of the devil.

The first thing she saw was an orange glow in the darkness. And then the Yeti came into view, snarling with rage. Tigress released a snarl of her own and got down on all fours, refusing to let the bitter cold distract her.

She quickly turned her head to make sure Po hadn't been injured in the surprise attack. He was on his feet, facing the Yeti in a combat pose. Tigress couldn't help but feel slightly impressed that after all that happened he was still more than ready to face such a terrifying enemy.

The Yeti turned its head toward Tigress, evidently having chosen to attack her first. Tigress snarled again as the Yeti began to twirl the remain glowing bolas above its head, the orange ball creating a large glowing ring as it swung round and round.

Tigress's eyes turned towards Po. She saw that he was looking back at her, though his face was still aimed towards their opponent. A plan began to form between them.

When it flings that bolas, I'll dodge. You attack it while it's recovering from the throw and I'll join you once I've finished my dodge. Then we hope our combined attack is enough.

If performed perfectly, the plan of action should take no more than four seconds. Maybe three if they were lucky. Tigress and Po gave each other the slightest of nods and turned their attention back to the Yeti.

The bolas-like weapon swung round and round, getting faster and faster, and then the Yeti flung it with expert accuracy… in Po's direction.

Po yelled and jumped a nano-second too late as the projectile struck the ground behind him and exploded, sending the panda flying.

"No!" Tigress yelled. From his close proximity to the explosion, Po will almost certainly have been injured. When Po hit the ground ten feet from where he had been flung, Tigress saw that half of his back was in flames. For a moment he seemed to have been knocked out, but then he suddenly began rolling around in the snow.

Good, Po. Put it out.

Tigress kept her gaze on Po as he smothered the fire, until she realized that she had taken her attention off the Yeti. She spun round just in time to see it charging at her like an avalanche. She leapt to the side just in time, its large hand missing her by inches. She landed two feet from the edge of the cliff or whatever it is they were fighting on, and took a moment to glance over the edge. It was impossible to tell how far someone might fall.

Tigress turned her attention back to the Yeti. It was turning to face her, its expression still one of almighty fury. In the dark of night, its eyes looked like they were aflame. Tigress had a suspicion that her and Po's trespassing in the city of Shambhala had crossed some sort of invisible line.

Shivering, Tigress waited for the Yeti to lunge for her again. Once she dodged, she would have a chance to get a view of the monster's back and check for any weak spots. So far attacking its front had proved ineffective. The Yeti was just too powerful. Her only comfort was that it didn't know kung fu.

Tigress got back down on all fours and waited for the right moment to make her move. She took in the Yeti's face. It looked very angry, but something in its eyes told her that it was thinking hard at the same time, probably thinking of a way to counter her next move. She growled ferociously, suddenly feeling a burning hatred for the monster. As unofficial leader of the Furious Five, she had almost always been the one to plan their course of action during a mission or a battle, and though things didn't always go to plan, nearly every time it would be a success. But this creature… it had outsmarted them at every turn. It had ruined her plans too many times to count. It had killed dozens of people and succeeded in destroying most of their supplies. Three times now it had nearly murdered Po.

Tigress unsheathed her claws. She bared her teeth. To hell with dodging.

She crouched lower, preparing to spring. She would aim lower this time, go for the legs and incapacitate it somehow.

But then-

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Coat still smoking slightly, Po leapt out of the darkness, throwing himself onto the Yeti's back and wrapping his arms around its neck.

"GET HIM, TIGRESS!" Po yelled as the Yeti snarled and tried to throw him off.

Tigress didn't waste a second. She leapt high in the air, her foot aimed at its head.

It collided with a pair of hard, thick, dark furred arm raised up in front of the Yeti's face.

A powerful vibration shook her leg and caused Tigress to fall to the ground in a heap. She quickly got back to her feet and stared at the Yeti in disbelief.

It had just used a blocking technique against her.

You gotta be kidding me! Her mind screamed. It knows martial arts, too?!

The Yeti flung the top half of its body forward in a sudden jerking motion, causing Po to fly over its head. It caught Po by the leg in mid air, studied him for a moment, and then tossed him into the distance.

Tigress's heart skipped a beat when she heard a distant crunch, the unmistakable sound of stone cracking… or bone breaking.

"No." She whispered.

Then she flung herself at the Yeti with a roar, claws raised to tear its face off.

Its own claws struck her in the torso, bringing unimaginable agony.

Shifu's tea cup smashed on the floor as he felt a terrible pain strike his heart.

"Shifu?" Xian saw the red panda's pained expression and frowned.

Shifu didn't answer at first. His expression became stricken.

"Tigress." He whispered. And fell from his chair.

"SHIFU!" Xian ran around the kitchen table.

Tigress rolled across the snow over and over, eventually stopping on her back. She stared up at the blizzard still howling above and around her with widened, unblinking eyes. Her breath came in sharp gasps.

Horrific pain assaulted the left side of her torso, spreading from above her hip to below her shoulder, and that wasn't all. Her torso also felt very wet, said wetness boiling hot against the freezing snow and spreading across her body. She didn't have see the wound to know that it was bad. Very bad. The rest of her body was shivering with cold.

Tigress heard the Yeti growl, and fought to regain her composure. She turned her head to see it slowly approaching her, its right hand dripping with her own blood.

Get up, Tigress, she told herself.

Her left side screamed as she slowly staggered to her feet. Now that she was vertical, the wetness began soaking into her pants as well as her vest. She clenched her teeth in agony. She was in pain, but no longer had the strength to hide it.

"You murderous freak." She snarled. The Yeti ignored the insult.

As it reached her, Tigress attempted to punch it in its lower stomach in the hopes to stun it, but the Yeti caught her fist. Tightening its grip, it lifted her into the air by her arm, bringing fresh pain to her wound.

"Sorry." It said coldly. "But I can't let you tell the order what you have found."

"What order?" Tigress wanted to ask, but the question was wiped from her mind as she watched the Yeti raise a fist, preparing to punch through her chest.

Dizzy and weak from blood loss and cold, Tigress had one option and one option only.

With a weak yell, she kicked the Yeti in the vulnerable spot that all men possessed… its groin.

Though not completely crippled, the Yeti was distracted enough to release its grip on Tigress's paw. Luckily she landed on her feet and remained standing, and that was the moment she saw the cliff edge three feet behind the Yeti.

Yes!

She pushed herself up from the ground, slammed both her paws into the Yeti's torso. With a small grunt of surprise, the Yeti fell back over the edge. It disappeared into the abyss almost instantly.

Tigress searched the darkness for any signs that it had survived. She tried to tell herself that it hadn't, but she could fool herself. She wrapped her arms around herself in a vain attempt to stop shivering. The wet area of her torso no longer felt warm.

Tigress's vision suddenly doubled, and she instinctively put her paw on the agonized area of her body. She felt half-frozen blood and torn flesh. She lifted her paw to find it almost completely red and dripping.

Tigress's legs shook, but she kept steady.

"Po." She said weakly. She turned away from the cliff edge and began slowly making her way in the direction the Yeti had thrown her friend. She kept one paw pressed to her injury, despite the fact that she could feel it seeping through her fingers. In the harsh weather, she was beginning to lose feeling in her limbs. She pressed her lips together, not wanting to show weakness even though she was alone, even though it was very likely that she was bleeding to death.

She saw Po lying motionless at the foot of a large rock formation. He was lying on his back, and despite the low visibility she could see white vapor emanating from his lips. He was still alive.

There's no blood, so maybe it's not as bad as it looks…

That was her last thought before her bleeding, freezing body gave up and she collapsed.


	62. A Risky Opportunity

Monkey scowled at the storm that continued to rage outside the stone doors.

_Great. By the time this storm passes, that monster could be on the other side of the Himalayas._

He stopped that train of thought before he could get any angrier. There wasn't much he could do about it, and it was pointless to get angry.

Monkey pushed the doors closed, shutting out the wind and snow, and lit the lantern. He set out a bedroll.

He had explored every square inch of the dark corridor, which had frustratingly lead to a dead end. If there was a secret door or something, it would be impossible to find without knowing exactly what he was looking for.

Which meant that all he could do now was wait.

Monkey laid down on the bedroll and stared at the glowing lantern.

It was going to be a long storm.

* * *

By the time Viper had tied the bandage wrapped around Crane's body and broken wing in a neat little bow, the bird had stopped babbling.

"Your wing should heal in a few days, Crane." Viper said gently. "But when the storm passes we're still going to have to walk to that cave you mentioned."

"So, I guess we're going to have to dig our way out?" He gestured with his uninjured wing to the snow blocking the cave entrance.

Mantis nodded.

"And even if we did, we still have the storm to worry about." He said.

"So we're stuck here." Crane said. "Stuck in a freezing cold cave that's running out of oxygen. Lovely."

"Not quite, and don't be so sarcastic." Viper said in annoyance. "In case you haven't noticed yet, there's a little hole near the roof of this cave where it's letting a little bit of the wind in. I doubt we'll be suffocating any time soon."

"Oh good. So when do we eat?"

Viper gave a small, sharp hiss.

"Viper, how hard did Crane hit his head?" Mantis tilted his own head.

"How should I know?" Viper demanded. "But for now, let's do what he wants. We can go back to digging when we've got something in our stomachs."

"What about grapes?" Crane asked. "I like grapes."

"I'm sorry, honey, we don't have grapes." Viper said.

"Do you think Su could get some?" Crane asked with a hopeful grin. "She's super smart, and she knows several languages. Do you think if she asks someone we could get some grapes?"

"Crane, I don't think Su can speak Nepali." Viper spoke patiently. "And she's not here."

"Oh bummer."

"We do have some more of that Tsampa." Viper went on.

"Oh. Tsampa. That stuff we ate the night Shifu nearly got blown up in a dozen story room on the same night we ate Tsampa. By the way I may have a concussion."

"I doubt it." Viper chuckled. "You're not showing many of the symptoms, and there's no evidence of trauma on your head. You're probably still affected from being buried beneath all that snow for so long."

While Viper and Crane had been having their odd conversation, Mantis had gone over to the two packs and pulled out the sealed bowls of Tsampa. He was now making his way back over to them.

"Here's the Tsampa, guys." Mantis said. "Sorry, but we're gonna hafta eat it cold. Probably not a good idea to start a fire in here."

Viper wordlessly took her bowl and let Mantis hand the other to Crane. The threesome sat in a circle in the middle of the cave and unsealed their bowls.

"We'll dig five feet and then we'll get some rest." Viper said. "We're not getting out of here any time soon, and we need to save our strength." She paused. "I hope Po and Tigress are alright."

"Po threw a metal ball at a peacock and Tigress kicked a giant croc off the side of a mountain. They'll be okay." Crane said. "By the way that winter coat or whatever the heck it is makes you look hot."

Viper blushed slightly as she began to eat.

* * *

Shifu pushed the medic's prying hands away for the umpteenth time.

"For the last time, it was  _not_  a heart attack!" He said angrily.

"Well whatever it was, the emperor wants you checked out." The medic replied calmly. "If you had stopped struggling this would have been over by now."

'I am in the room you know!" Xian replied. "Now hold still, Shifu!"

After Shifu's unexpected collapse in the kitchen things had gotten a little vague.

From what little he could remember, a little after he fell Xian had started shouting, probably calling for help, but since he didn't listen to what anyone was saying he wasn't sure. Then Di Tan had rushed in with the medic, and before he knew it Shifu was lying on the kitchen table, angrily resisting the medic's attempts to diagnose what had cause the red panda to nearly pass out. Xian was standing opposite the medic, holding Shifu down as best as he could.

"I said I'm fine!" Shifu snapped. "Now will you please let me get off this table? I have to leave!"

"What?" Xian exclaimed. "Have you lost your mind?! You just collapsed and there's a storm outside!"

"Xian, something has happened to Tigress!" Shifu was frantic now. "I have to find her!"

"And how do you know something happened to her?"

"I can't explain it! Now let me up, you idiot!"

"Master Shifu, I must insist that you do not talk to the emperor like that." The medic said. "It's disrespectful and it's not helping matters."

"Shut-up!" Shifu retorted. "For god's sake I have to hel-"

"You can't help her!" Xian yelled. Shifu stopped struggling and glared at the tiger in disbelief. "You can't help her." Xian repeated. "You have no idea where she is, and even if you did you wouldn't last thirty minutes in that storm."

"But-"

"Shifu, you're forgetting that she has the Dragon Warrior and the rest of the Furious Five with her. And they have the medical supplies Eagle Jr. made them bring. If you know your own students as well as you think you do, you'll know that Tigress is going to be okay."

"But Tigress, she's… she's my…"

"I know she's your daughter, and Di Tan told me about your relationship with her." Xian said. "You're just going to have to trust that her friends will take care of her."

Shifu remembered the time Crane had carried all four of his comrades back to the Valley after their disastrous battle with Tai Lung, and realized that he did trust them. He relaxed on the table.

"You're right." He said. "Po and the others will look after her."

"And even if she-"

"Don't say it!" Shifu snapped. "She's alive!"

"Okay, okay!" Xian said quickly. He gestured for the medic to resume his check-up.

Ten minutes later Shifu returned to his bedroom, his heart this heavy with worry. Something horrible had happened to Tigress, and once again there was nothing he could do about it.

"Damn it." He muttered.

He had screwed up.

There was no other way to put it.

From the moment this mission had begun, everything that could go wrong had gone wrong. Shifu wasn't sure whether it truly was the Yeti, being smarter and more powerful than nearly every enemy they had faced before, or his old age had begun to make him incompetent. After all, wasn't it Shifu who had made most of the decisions.

_You were wrong, Xian. This isn't your fault. It's mine._

_It was a mistake to bring my students here. We should have just forced Tujiu to evacuate his troops the first chance we got. We should never have tried to fight this. And now Tigress is probably dead, dozens of people already are dead, we are under siege from an enemy the likes of which we have never encountered before, Tujiu and Sao are missing, probably planning to backstab us, and there is a very big possibility that we aren't going to make it out of this._

_What the hell was I thinking? What had made me believe that I could control this situation? We were up against an enemy we did not fully understand, and what did I do? I set in motion a chain of events which I cannot stop._

"I just ended up making things worse." He muttered.

He walked past the bed, where Su was sleeping peacefully, and sat down on the mat.

He closed his eyes, and tried to clear his head.

"Inner peace…" He murmured. "Inner peace…"

He was distracted by the storm howling outside.

_Only two or three days to go… Tigress… please don't be dead… I need you here… so I can say that I'm sorry…_

* * *

Deep in the bowels of the fortress of White Fortitude, in a secret area no-one else knew about, Tujiu sat perched on the stone fence, gazing out at the gargantuan mechanisms that fill the void in front of him. Sao was sitting amongst the bed mats and supplies, having a small bowl of Tsampa. Tujiu knew without a doubt that they were close to the heart of the mechanical system that encompassed the entire fortress, if they weren't in the heart itself. He and Colonel Sao were even standing in what appears to be the room that controls the system. Just behind him, standing fright in front of the fence, was a stone block that displayed a variety of levers that he guessed controlled various parts of the fortress.

Colonel Sao had stumbled upon this room himself a week after the Imperial Army had come to the fortress. Upon being informed Tujiu had forbidden him from telling anyone else, but the secret area was located deep beneath the fortress, and could be accessed from one of several concealed doors located in several rooms. One such door was hidden in the kitchen itself, and was the same door Tujiu and Sao had used to disappear.

A few minutes ago, Sao had been sent to the kitchen to obtain a few extra supplies, only to return with nothing but some interesting information: judging from what the fox had heard on the other side of the door, the grandmaster had somehow sensed that something had happened to one of his students. It wasn't clear whether or not said student was dead, but the news had greatly intrigued Tujiu. After all, if one of the warriors had been injured or killed, what's to say one or two of her comrades had suffered the same?

At that moment, Tujiu decided he would give Hei Nuwang an update on the situation. He didn't want to, but right now he needed her to now that he had gotten the situation back under control. He needed to see the look on her twisted face when she learned that he had exceeded her expectations.

He pulled out the mirror.

A few seconds later a beautiful panther was glaring back at him. Tujiu was relieved to see she wasn't eating bird's hearts this time.

"Lady Hei Nuwag, it's me. General Tujiu."

"I can see that, you idiot." The lady said coldly. "What is it this time?"

"I have gotten the situation back under control." Tujiu said proudly. "Those idiots aren't going anywhere."

"Did you eliminate them?" Hei Nuwang demanded. "You know my Master wants the Dragon Warrior alive!"

"No, the Dragon Warrior is still in one piece." Tujiu said. "I haven't claimed the sarcophagus yet, but I have a plan that will eliminate our enemies and allow us to obtain the sarcophagus in one stroke."

"Good." Hei Nuwang said. "By the way, my master is beginning to get concerned that your ambition and your grudge against the Emperor is getting the better of you. He has asked me to remind you that the safety and capture of the sarcophagus is your main priority. Even the library and treasure vault are secondary."

"Yes, I know." Tujiu grunted impatiently. The panther's eyes narrowed.

"I'm serious, you fool. If the Dragon Empress is released…"

"I'm well aware of what she can do to us!" Tujiu snapped, causing Hei Nuwang to growl in anger. "Don't worry, when this is over you will have your precious Ember!"

"Make sure we do." Hei Nuwang said. "By the way, has there been any more fatalities lately?"

"Possibly." Tujiu said. "Apparently one of the masters, the tiger, has been injured or killed. No word on the others."

"I see." Hei Nuwang said.

"What are you smiling at?" Tujiu demanded. The panther ignored him.

"I will give you a more detailed account of your orders once I've spoken with the master. Just remember, the sarcophagus is your main responsibility."  
"Very well." Tujiu said. "By the way, how is it going with the planned invasion of the Valley of Peace?"

"If you must know, we will not be ready for months yet." Hei Nuwang replied. "The master has suggested that we cause a little conflict in the Valley beforehand, to weaken its defenses."

Tujiu's heart leapt as an idea came to him. Finally, here was his chance to get one up on this witch of a feline.

"You know what, I think I have an idea how you can do that?" Tujiu spoke slyly.

The panther's ears pricked.

"How?" She demanded. "I am already working on a plan, so this had better be good!"

"When this is over, most of the Jade Palace Masters are going to be dead." Tujiu grinned. "Why not send the Valley an early message? When word gets out that the Valley's protectors are dead, every bandit within fifty miles is going to come in and tear the place apart!"

Hei Nuwand's eyes flashed.

"How can we trust that this isn't going to backfire?"

"It won't." Tujiu said confidently.

There was silence as the panther thought this through. Her half-annoyed expression made it clear that she didn't want to go through with this plan, especially if it was Tujiu's. Seconds passed, and then she was glaring at the vulture once again.

"Alright, we'll do this your way." She said. "But I won't forget this was  _your_  idea."

Tujiu opened his mouth to reply, but the mirror turned blank.


	63. Don't Die

Ember snow.

That was the first thing Po saw when he opened his eyes.

He was still lying on the ground where he had fallen, but here, the snow was warm to the touch, the violent winds non-existent, glowing orange embers lazily drifting down from the night sky.

"Oh god…" Po whispered, his heart rate quickening. "Not again…"

He got to his feet. Without the blizzard, his visibility had greatly improved, yet there was no sign of the Yeti or Tigress.

"Tigress!" His voice echoed in the night. "Tigress, can you hear me?"

When no-one answered, Po started walking. As terrified and frantic as he was, he made sure to move slowly. Just because they had just had a battle here did not mean that there weren't crevasses around.

Po called Tigress's name over and over, but received only silence in return.

"Where are they?" He muttered. "Did the Yeti kidnap her or-"

_Not quite._

Po spun around so wildly snow flew everywhere.

"Oh hell." He gaped.

_Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. I need you to wake up._

"How?" Po demanded. "Do I need you to kill me again?"

_Yes._

"Oh great… You're Ember, aren't you?" Po asked, not rest-assured at all. "You're the Dragon Empress."

_Yes._

"Why did you tell the Yeti to spare my life?"

This time there was a pause.

_I do not know. All I know is… I feel like I know you._

"Wait, what?"

_Po, wake up._

"No, I'm not finished yet!"

_This is the only way you can leave once you enter._

With that, Ember grabbed Po by the throat.

_Don't worry. You'll get your answers soon._

She dug her claws into his windpipe. She ripped it out.

"GAH!"

Po shot-upright with a shout.

One paw clutched around his still slightly-bruised neck, he quickly checked his surroundings. The wind was blowing. The snow was white and cold against his body. He was back.

"Ember?" He called out. The wind howled, partly drowning out his voice. "Dang, I hate it when she does that."

He moved to get to his feet, but gasped as he felt a terrible pain shoot up his side. He clutched his side and gritted his teeth.

"Aw no…" He muttered. "Don't tell me…"

But when he felt again, he realized that the pain wasn't internal. There was a massive bruise nearly the side of his arm stretching from his pants line to his shoulder. He remembered that part of the body striking hard jagged rock when the Yeti-

The Yeti.

"TIGRESS!" Po hollered.

Just like in his dream, he was met with silence.

"Tigress!" Po yelled a little quieter as he reminded himself that they were on a snowy mountain. One loud sound could start another avalanche. "Tigress, where are-"

The freezing of his blood had nothing to do with the blizzard as his eyes fell on the still form of Master Tigress, lying in the snow fifteen feet away.

"No." He said.

He pushed the pain of his massive bruise aside as he sprinted towards her, tripping only once. He flung himself to the ground by her side and turned her over onto her back.

"No, no!"

He stopped panicking when he saw the white mist rising up from her still lips. She was unconscious, but not dead.

"Oh god." He gasped. "Oh god."

He leaned over her until more than half his body was shielding her from the wind as he looked around for something they could use for shelter. What quickly caught his attention was the very rock he had collided with. At the base, there appeared to be an opening. What did he bet that there was a cave down there?

He turned his attention back to his friend. Things would get a lot easier if she was conscious.

"Tigress." Po grabbed Tigress's shoulders and gently shook her. "Tigress, can you hear me?"

Tigress's eyes were shut, her breathing faint by rhythmic.

"Tigress!" Po shook her again. The storm ruffled his fur and chilled his arms. They couldn't stay out here much longer. If Tigress didn't wake up in five seconds he was going to have to carry her.

"Tigress, wake up!" Po's paw slid down the side of her body as he prepared to lift her. "Come on, Ti-"

He froze.

Tigress's left side felt very cold and very wet beneath his fingers.

He lifted his paw. The normally brown pads of his paw were stained red.

"Huh…" Po looked down at the ground. In the middle of the ground, partly covered by the freshly fallen snow, there was a thick red puddle.

Filled with dread, Po turned Tigress's body.

His mouth opened in a silent scream.

Covering her entire left side were four massive, deep bloody gashes, clearly visible through the tears in her vest. Now that he wasn't focusing on her face, Po could see a massive dark stain spreading across her body, down her pants leg and steadily creeping across her stomach.

Po yanked her partly up from the ground and wrapped both arms around her, clutching him to her like an oversized doll. He was panting now, his breath heavy gasps as he started to panic. She was so still and cold against his body that he was beginning to think that she was already dead.

Then Po remembered the rock.

"I gotta get you outta here." Po said, even though he knew she couldn't hear him, and lifted her fully off the ground. She was lighter than she looked. He got back on his feet and made his way back towards the rock.

There were no adjectives to describe his relief when he briefly set Tigress down and brushed away the snow covering the opening, and found that there was indeed a small space beneath the rock. Not exactly a cave, but if it got Tigress out the storm it would be more than enough.

Even so, the opening was so small they would have to go in one at a time. Po climbed in first, having to squeeze his large stomach through the hole as he did so. He found that the space was half the width of his room, but was roughly the height of a table. There was enough room to kneel, but he had to hunch over as well. Also, a little snow had collected on the ground.

Po turned around in the small space and dragged Tigress in with him as quickly and gently as he could, then laid her out on the cold stone ground. He then reached out, grabbed the mercifully intact lantern which he had spotted lying in the snow while carrying Tigress, and brought it in with them.

Po lit the lantern once more with his hero's chi and turned to Tigress. She had still not awoken.

Fighting back the panic, Po struggled to remember the things Viper had taught him.

The first thing he would have to do would be to check the wound dirt or anything that might cause infection. Okay, that he could do.

But to get a proper look at the wound, he would have to-

"Oh crap." Po muttered.

He stared down at her torso, took in the blood, and told himself firmly that it had to be done.

Po gulped, half hoping she would stay unconscious, and began to unclasp her vest. He blushed very slightly.

"Oh dear." He said.

It was tough work.

"Oh dear."

His fingers were stiff from the cold and he kept having to remind himself that Tigress needed him to do this, and if she were awake she probably would have ordered him to do it anyway.

"Oh dear."

The last clasp was undone.

"Oh dear."

Po pulled off the vest.

_Please be wearing underwear, please be wearing underwear-_

He exhaled.

Tigress was wearing a  _dudou_ , a diamond shaped apron-like undergarment that covered her chest and was tied at the back. Po did not understand why she needed one, after all, she had no-

_Stop it! Now is not the time, Po, get your head in the game and help her!_

Po set his jaw and crouched lower so he could examine the gashes. There was a lot of blood, but no dirt. Considering that the only thing that had touched her was snow, Po wasn't that surprised.

"Okay, checking for dirt… check." Po said. "What else did Viper say?"

Luckily it didn't take long for him to remember. The next step was to close the wound through the use of stitches or other medical techniques. As long as he didn't throw up, he should be able to get through that alright.

The medical supplies had been in the pack Po had lost, so he had no choice but to turn out his pockets. All he had were some more of those hot peppers, the needle and thread he had used to fix his pants, a napkin and a small knife.

Po grimaced. This was not what he had been hoping for. The peppers and napkin were next to useless, and though the thread on the spool hadn't been used the needle had touched Po's pants. Using it to sew Tigress's injury was practically asking for an infection.

And that left the knife.

Po gripped it in his paw.

There was one other technique Viper had told him about. It was incredibly risky and incredibly painful. And it was also his last resort.

Po opened the little door of the glowing lantern. He stuck the blade of the knife into the flame.

Minutes passed. Po didn't need to worry about Tigress bleeding out any time soon. The blood covering her injuries appeared to have partially frozen in the storm.

When Po pulled out the blade, it was glowing orange. It was hot. Hot enough to burn.

Po turned back to Tigress. She was still motionless, and Po prayed that she would stay that way until this was over. He turned her half-naked torso slightly so that the claw wounds were fully exposed. He brought the blade close to the first gash. He thought he could hear a sizzling in the air.

Po's paw began to shake. Unless Tigress was so out of it that she wouldn't feel a thing, this would be tantamount to torture. But it had to be done. Sooner or later the wound would start bleeding again, and then she would be done for. Po's grip on the glowing hot knife tightened.

He inched the knife close to Tigress's torn flesh.

Closer…

Closer…

He jammed the knife into the snow by his knees. Steam hissed and rose up from the buried hilt.

He couldn't do it. Even if she couldn't feel the pain, he couldn't do it.

He could never, ever hurt her like that.

He hated himself for considering it.

_Stitches it is._

Po grabbed the needle. Perhaps if he held it in the flame he could sterilize it to a certain extent. However, according to Viper it would take about an hour, two tops. He hoped that Tigress could last that long. She had to.

Po tied the needle to the end of the thread, tilted the lantern so the opening was facing upwards, and dangled the needle inside.

And that was when he felt wetness by his knee. Po though of snow melting from his body heat, and prepared to brush it away. It wasn't snow. Tigress's gashes were once again seeping blood and a small puddle was beginning to form.

"Damn it!"

Po slammed his paws against Tigress's torso, but he was only able to cover two of the gashes.

How had this happened? The wound had been fine a couple of minutes ago, and he hadn't touched it, not even with the hot knife…

The knife.

When he had held the heated knife to her injury, it must have melted the frozen blood, removing the barrier that had kept any more life blood from leaving her body.

"Idiot!"

Po cursed himself as he pressed on Tigress's injury, but it was no use. The puddle was getting bigger.

"Oh god, Tigress, hang on!" He begged. "Please hang on…"

And then, right out of nowhere, he knew what he had to do.

Po closed his eyes. He pushed the panic away. He remembered Shifu's words from what felt like a long time ago.

_Use your hero's chi to heal this tree. Try to stop the bleeding at the very least._

"Come on…" Po whispered. "Where are you, hero's chi…"

_Your inner peace should help you during your training._

Po remembered the redirection technique that only inner peace could you achieve.

Maybe he had to direct his chi to his paws, like a river?

It was worth a shot.

Po concentrated.

_Please let me have enough chi, please let me have enough chi, please let me have enough chi…_

Then Po felt a warmth in his chest, spreading from his heart and consuming his torso.

"So that's you been hiding, hero's chi." Po muttered. "I should have guessed."

Come to think of it, the day he had tried to heal a tree, his chest had begun to feel a lot warmer that usual. The same thing happened when he had died at Ke Pa's hands and he came into contact with a peach tree sapling.

How could he have missed it?

Well now that he had found the source of his chi, Po now had to direct it. It wasn't too hard. He had done the same thing with water droplets and cannonballs. Except this time he had to direct it through his own limbs. That was new.

But still, Po persevered. He fell back on meditation techniques to control his chi. And soon enough he began to feel the warmth spreading through his arms. It reached his paws. Po opened his eyes and saw that they were glowing.

"Yes!" Po cried, but maintained his concentration. He glanced at Tigress. She was still breathing, thank god.

For a while, nothing happened to Tigress's injury. But then Po felt the blood flow begin to slow. The wound itself wasn't healing, but Po would take what he could get. Within minutes the bleeding had stopped completely.

Po moved his paws away, and as the glow faded he realized that he was panting. He wasn't completely exhausted, but using his chi to such an extent and for the first time had certainly taken a lot out of him. But it had worked. It had worked!

Po pushed away his tiredness with a smile and gripped Tigress's limp paw.

"You're gonna be okay, Tigress." He said. "You're gonna be okay." He turned back to the lantern and the discarded needle. "Now, where was I?"

Two hours later, Po was pulling the thread from a warm and sterilized needle. The four massive gashes were now stitched thin slits on Tigress's body. Po put the needle and thread back into his coat pockets, and then realized that he had no bandages. But he did have a large clean napkin, and that gave him an idea. In next to no time Po had the napkin wrapped halfway around Tigress's body, held in place with thread. It wasn't a bandage, but it would keep the stitches covered until he could get Tigress some proper wrappings.

By the time his work was done, Po was covered in blood. Most of it had dried and made his fur stiff and sticky, but Po felt triumphant. This was the first ever time he had played the role of a medic, and in his opinion it had turned out quite well.

Po leaned over Tigress and gazed at her still face. Despite her terrible wounds, she looked peaceful, almost as if she had been sleeping. Po reached out, placed a paw on her forehead, rubbed her fur with his thumb.

She felt cold to the touch.

Po's smile faded.

She felt  _too_  cold.

He put his ear to her lips. Her breath was shallow. He parted some of the coarse fur on her bare shoulder. What little skin he could see was pale and ice cold. When he checked her pulse, he found that it was weak.

Po's heart sank. Master Eagle Jr. had warned them about this before they had set out in search of Monkey.

Hypothermia. If blood loss didn't kill her, this would. And they had no blankets to wrap her up in. There was nothing he could burn to make a fire, and even if there was it would be far too dangerous to light one in such a small space. To put it simply, there was nothing he could do to warm her up.

Po gripped his face with his paws. He couldn't believe this was happening. After all this, all he and she had been through, was Tigress seriously going to die?

Po exhaled deeply through his teeth. His breath stroked his wrists, briefly basking them in its warmth.

Warmth.

Po looked up.

His breath was warm.

And his breath came from his body.

Which meant that…

This time, Po did not blush. This time, he was not going to let anything, not even embarrassment, stop him from saving her.

Po pulled off his bloodstained coat.

He pulled off his white and black silk shirt, fully exposing his torso to the elements. He ignored the cold, eyes fixed on Tigress.

He brushed away the snow and lay down on the ground beside Tigress.

He reached out and wrapped his arms around Tigress's own bare torso.

He pressed her freezing body to his.

He gasped slightly at how cold her skin was. He could feel every hardened and toned muscle in her body, the softness of her fur. He pressed a paw to her back of her head, holding it to his neck. He grabbed the coat and pulled it over them both, creating a protective barrier against the cold air that seeped into the cave. Next to them the lantern gave light and a little extra warmth.

The storm wouldn't pass for at least a day, but once day broke Po would take Tigress back to the cave. He would follow the original plan to hide in the city of Shambhala, There he may find supplies, maybe some blankets and bandages to properly dress Tigress's wound with.

All he had to do was keep Tigress alive until then.

"Don't die, Tigress." Po whispered in her ear. "I love you."

He held her tighter as the storm raged outside.


	64. Back in the Valley of Peace

In a lovely little bedroom just east of the Hall of Warriors, Princess Haoxin di Nushi pulled the needle for the final time through her grandson's little blue robe with extra fingers, the stitching so precise that it looked like part of the seam. Her dear little Zan had been playing in the Hall of Warriors, and gotten too close to the Sword of Heroes. The boy wasn't hurt, thank heaven, but a massive tear had been left in his robe. Zan was currently being given a bath by a servant, and Haoxin could hear his happy cries from where she was sitting.

Haoxin held up the robe in front of her for examination. Satisfied with the result she folded the robe over one wing and left the room. As she walked down the corridor, she hummed to herself, a little tune she had learned when she was a little girl. Soon she reached the door to the room where Zan was being bathed. Aside from his cries, splashing sounds could now clearly be heard. Zan was clearly enjoying himself.

Haoxin chuckled and knocked on the door. In a second the door opened.

"Oh, your highness." The servant bowed.

"Good afternoon." Haoxin held out the robe. "I just fixed my grandson's robe. Could you put it on him when he comes out?"

"Yes, your highness." The servant bowed again, and waited until Haoxin was making her way back down the corridor before closing the door.

When Haoxin stepped into the Hall of Warriors, the first person she saw was Zeng, another servant who also doubled as a messenger. He was busily dusting the armor of the late Master Flying Rhino.

"Zeng!" She called. The goose jumped and almost knocked over the armor.

"Y-your highness!"

"I'm sorry for startling you." Haoxin waddled over. "Any news from Di Tan?"

It had been a few weeks since Di Tan had left with the kung fu masters and Emperor Xian, and Haoxin was still waiting for his letter.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. No mail has arrived this week."

"What about from Master Baby Blu?"

Zeng blinked.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

"Master Pingu." Haoxin repeated.

Zeng stared at her.

"Who are you talking about, ma'am?"

"Master Portaloo?" Haoxin was beginning to get impatient. "Master Shy Woo? Master Dog Poo?"

"Who are all these people, you highness?" Zeng exclaimed.

"You know who I'm talking about!" Haoxin said. "Green robe, ears the size of plates…"

"Oh, you mean Master  _Shifu_ , ma'am." Zeng said.

Haoxin laughed.

"Master  _Shifu_?!" She exclaimed. "Don't be absurd! What kind of name is Shifu for a master! Shifu means 'master!'" She laughed again. " _Master Master!_ "

Zeng stared at her as if she had grown breasts, then cleared his throat.

"Well anyway, there has been no word from him, either."

"Oh well." Haoxin sighed. "Thank you anyway, Zeng."

As Haoxin waddled off, Zeng muttered to himself;

"God, I pity him."

* * *

Pong, eight year old piglet and protégé of the mega-awesome Dragon Warrior, sat alone in the corner of Dragon Warrior Noodles and Tofu, absent-mindedly dragging his chopsticks through the noodles in front of him. It wasn't a busy day, so the eating area was quieter than usual.

Several weeks have passed since Su, his friend and fellow kung fu student, had left unexpectedly. Pong had first realized that she was gone the day after Po and the other masters had left the Valley for a secret mission, and Su didn't turn up for meditation class. No-one in the palace seemed to know where she was, and the imperial soldiers who had been placed in the palace to protect the members of the royal family would let him approach them to ask, so he had gone down to Mr. Ping's restaurant for answers. The old goose had avoided the question for some time before finally revealing that Su had gone on an unexpected trip. Pong had a bad feeling that it was no ordinary trip, but Mr. Ping had refused to say any more. He didn't even mention when Su would be back.

Pong remembered the goose looking just as worried as he was.

For the next few weeks afterward, Pong had continued his daily lifestyle as he always did: he practiced kung fu, he hung out with his friends, he visited the noodle shop after a hard day of hitting himself with his own staff, and he asked about Su. Each time Mr. Ping would wear that worried expression and tell the boy that she would be back soon.

And now Pong was sitting at the table in the far corner, picking at his noodles, beginning to fear the worst. There was obviously Mr. Ping wasn't telling him, and if he wasn't willing to tell him, then whatever it was must be bad.

"Where the heck are you, Su?" Pong muttered to himself. "Wherever you went, you better get back soo-"

Bump!

Pong jumped as something suddenly knocked against the table, nearly spilling his bowl. When Pong looked up, he gave a cry of delight.

"Dragon Warrior Po! You're ba-" He stopped and cringed in embarrassment. "Oh sorry, mister. I thought you were the Dragon Warrior."

The large panda standing over him merely chuckled.

"It's alright, son." He said. "Judging from your reaction, I'm guessing you know my son?"

"Your son?!" Pong looked at the goose currently collecting empty dishes three tables down then looked back at the panda. "B-but…"

"I'm his birth father." The panda said with a small chuckle. "It's confusing, I know."

"Qiang!" Pong was suddenly aware of another panda, one who looked significantly younger, standing just behind the first. "Don't tease him."

Qiang merely chuckled again.

"Sorry, Ming." He said, then turned back to Pong. "You must be Pong." Pong nodded silently, still in shock. "Ah, Po told me a lot about you."

"H-he did?" Pong asked nervously. He was still trying to get his head around the fact that the Dragon Warrior apparently had two dads.

"Yup!" Qiang replied merrily. "He says you're just like he was when he was a kid. Anyway, do you know where Mr. Ping is?"

At that moment there was a squawk. Mr. Ping had just spotted Qiang and Ming, and a second later he was shaking the panda's paw vigorously.

"Qiang, it has really been too long!" The goose exclaimed happily. "And I see you've met Pong, too!"

About eight months to be exact." Qiang replied. "Oh, and it's good to see you too. Where's Po? I thought I would find him here."

At that, Mr. Ping's face fell.

"I'm terribly sorry, Qiang." He said. "Po isn't here. He left a few weeks ago with his friends on a mission."

Qiang frowned, looking disappointed.

"Drat." He said. "Do you know when they'll be back?"

"It's been a few weeks, like I said, so it shouldn't be long now." Mr. Ping replied. "They said they would send a message when they begin the return journey."

"Aw well." Qiang said. "He's the Dragon Warrior, so what can you do?"

"Indeed." Mr. Ping sighed. "Anyway, would you like some tofu? Free of charge with purchases!"

"Mr. Ping, do you know where Su is?" Ming asked. "Her parents came with us and they're dying to see her."

Mr. Ping gulped. Qiang frowned. Pong looked up questioningly.

"What's wrong?" Qiang asked.

Mr. Ping didn't answer. Qiang's eyes narrowed and he grabbed the goose by the shoulders.

"Ping!" He snapped. "Has something happened?"

"What's going on?"

Pong gaped as two more pandas stepped into the restaurant, this time clearly a couple.

"Qiang, why are manhandling your son's adoptive father?" The lady asked. Pong swallowed as he realized that he was staring at Su's mother.

Qiang released Mr. Ping with a small grunt.

"Mr. Ping, where's our little girl?" The father asked.

"Yes, Mr. Ping." Qiang asked. "Where is Su?"

"I can't say here." Mr. Ping tilted his head very slightly in Pong's direction, something the piglet noticed. "Come into the kitchen. Oh and uh… don't freak out."

Su's parents glanced at each other nervously. Then they, Qiang and Ming followed Mr. Ping through the tables and into the kitchen. The door slammed shut.

Pong quickly got off his stool, passed the tables and put his ear up against the door, just in time to hear Su's mother cry out in horror.

"She did WHAT?!" She screamed.

"She stowed away in one of the carriages?!" Su's father cried. "Why would she do something like that?!"

"Please, let me explain!" Mr. Ping exclaimed. "Here, this is the note she left me the day she and the others left. I think there may have been a misunderstanding."

There was a pause. Pong guessed that they were reading the note.

"What do you mean, 'misunderstanding?" The panda called Ming asked.

"According to this note, Su thought that something had happened to you two." Mr. Ping said, probably talking to Su's parents at that moment. "She must have gotten so scared that she acted recklessly."

Pong didn't know what 'recklessly' meant, but he guessed that it was a bad thing.

There was heavy breathing sound. One of the ladies, probably Su's mother, was having a panic attack.

"Oh god… oh god… oh god, my baby…"

"Where did they go?" Qiang demanded.

"To the Himalayas, I think." Mr. Ping said. Su's mother let out a tiny shriek. "I'm sorry, but there's no point in trying to go after her."

"But she could be killed!" Su's father yelled.

"Excuse me, but you forget who she's with." Mr. Ping replied.

"Wh-"

"Wait, he's right!" Qiang said. "Pong…" Pong the piglet's heart froze. "Pong, listen to me. Your daughter is currently with my son and his friends, who are all very powerful kung fu masters. They would never let any harm come to her."

Pong relaxed. So he and Su's father shared the same name. Who would have guessed?

"But my daughter…"

"Will be fine." Qiang said soothingly. "And don't forget that Su is a very smart girl. By now she'll have realized her mistake, and will be less willing to act impulsively after that. She always does her best to stay out of trouble if she can."

There was silence as Su's parent seemed to consider this.

"In any case, we should probably stay here until she and my son return home." Qiang said. "Mr. Ping, where is the nearest inn?"

"There's one a few buildings down. I'll draw a small map if you wan-"

"Hey, coming through!"

Pong spun around to see a rhino making his way through the crowded tables. Judging from his armor, he was a soldier from the palace.

Pong quickly moved away from the door and back into the nearest corner. The door opened moments later and Qiang and Mr. Ping stepped out.

"May I help you?" Mr. Ping asked.

The soldier gave the goose a respectful nod.

"Pardon my intrusion, Princess Haoxin De Nushi has not received any news from Mr. Di Tan for several weeks. Since the pair of you recently became friends, she has sent me to ask you if you know of his whereabouts." The soldier said.

"Princess Haoxin? The foster aunt of the emperor?" Mr. Ping asked, having never met the woman. "All I know is that he left with my son and his friends to go visit some relatives."

"I see." The soldier said. "Thank you for your time."

The soldier turned on his heel and began making his way back to the archway exit… and found his path blocked by a small black hawk.

"Excuse me, are you the soldier in command of the army protecting the royal family?" The messenger asked.

The soldier nodded warily.

The hawk wordlessly handed him a small scroll and flew off.

The soldier unrolled the scroll. Seconds passed as he read the contents. His eyes narrowed grimly. He turned round and made his way back to Mr. Ping. On both sides the customers continued dining, ignorant of what was about to happen.

"You are the father of the Dragon Warrior, correct?"

"Yes." Mr. Ping and Qiang spoke at the same time. They glanced at each other.

"I think he was talking to me." The goose said, and turned back to the soldier. "Yes."

"Then I'm afraid I have some bad news." The soldier spoke solemnly.

The words that followed were spoken too softly for Pong to hear. When the soldier finished, Mr. Ping seemed to become very quiet and still. Qiang's eyes widened, and his mouth opened and closed several times, and suddenly he lashed out and snatched the scroll and examined it himself, as if he didn't really believe what had just been said. Qiang's jaw quivered for some time. Apparently the message was real. But then Qiang seemed to notice something strange about the scroll, and he turned it over. Whatever he saw made him shout with rage, finally drawing the attention of the customers.

"WHAT THE HELL KIND OF JOKE IS THIS?!"

Qiang's shout made Pong shiver in fear, and brought out Ming and Su's parents to investigate.

"Qiang, what's going on?" Ming asked anxiously. "What's that scroll you-"

_Thump!_

Ming stopped short. Qiang spun around at the sound.

He dropped the scroll when he saw Mr. Ping lying still on the ground.

"Mr. Ping?" Qiang knelt down beside the goose.

Pong looked on in terror. He didn't have to be an adult to know that something was horribly wrong.

"Mr. Ping, can you hear me? MR. PING! SOMEONE GET A DOCTOR! SOMEONE GET A DOCTOR NOW!"


	65. All Soup and No Noodles

In… out… in… out… in… out… in… out…

That was all Po thought as he silently pulled at the thread that had been stitched into Tigress's vest, pulling the last of the tears closed. He snapped the thread from the needle, knotted it, and held up the vest for examination. The stitching was crudely done, and inconsistent. The color of the thread also didn't match the red, black and gold colors of the fabric. Po sighed heavily and set the vest down.

It wasn't as if Tigress was going to wear it again, anyway.

Po got up from the cold stone floor and made his way over to the small pile of firewood sitting next to the wall. It wasn't exactly wood: Po had collected the twisting little branches that covered the entire city of Shambhala and pulled off all the leaves and flowers. They still burned pretty well, though, as the campfire in the middle of the room clearly demonstrated.

If only Tigress could appreciate it.

Po picked up a few bits of branch, tossed them into the fire and stepped out the cave and onto the wide ledge outside.

It was late evening. The storm had passed a few hours ago, and the sky was now clear and full of stars. The air even felt a little less cold.

Po walked right to the edge and sat down, letting his legs dangle down over the side. It was a beautiful night, and he could clearly see the fortress far below. The building seemed very quiet now. By now, everyone would either be asleep or silently keeping guard. He wondered how Shifu and the others were doing. He wondered where Monkey, Viper, Crane and Mantis were now. He wondered if any of them were still alive. He decided that such thoughts would wait and decided to explore the city for more supplies.

It had been nearly three days since the battle with the Yeti and then Po took shelter in the cave that served as the back entrance to the city, and it wasn't until a little whole ago that Po decided to find something to do so he wouldn't spend too much time alone with nothing but his thoughts. The first thing he'd done was carve a pair of little figures, a rabbit and a pig, from the branches to have mock kung fu battles with. Then he decided to wash as much blood from Tigress's vest as he could and then repair it. Now he was opening the secret back door to the lost city.

Three times now he had ventured into the city in search of supplies. On his first visit he'd carefully tiptoed through the streets to check for signs of the Yeti, but it hadn't returned. Po hadn't seen it since the battle. But what he had discovered on his second visit was a series of overgrown but still beautiful gardens filled with not flowers, but the most delicious looking vegetables and fruit he had ever seen. What was truly amazing was that the gardens seemed to serve not just as food storage, but some sort of analysis area. By that, he meant that each garden seemed to house fruit from a different area of the world, and in each garden was a hut that housed scrolls that were full of observations about the different kinds of food. After this discovery, Po had become more and more convinced that the city and the fortress were connected; both appeared to have once been inhabited by the kind of people who study and observe more than anything else. Po had come across those kinds of people before; stuffy and eccentric folks who were obsessed with a relatively new enterprise that differed greatly from the likes of fireworks, kung fu or noodles: science.

Anyway, the gardens had been a lucky find: now Po could worry less about starvation and more about freezing to death.

Speaking of freezing to death…

Po was still wearing his winter coat, but before going through the stone trapdoor he grabbed a blanket and tied it round his neck as a cloak. He then made his way down the slope and headed through the corridor.

When he reached the other side, he took a moment to once again take in the wondrous view that was the city of Shambhala. In times like this, Po would normally freak out as he always did, but recent events had dampened his mood.

The gardens were located in the far east of the city, and it took Po roughly half an hour to get there over the plant-covered rooftops. He avoided the western area where the foundry was located. There was nothing of use there, and the foundry reminded him of the molten lead that had burned Tigress's coat, forcing her to remove it and give herself hypothermia.

Po pushed those thoughts aside as he entered the garden that held the Chinese produce he was familiar with. Thinking about what had happened to Tigress would not bring her back.

Po grabbed some radishes, carrots, ginger and other vegetables that were normally used in noodle soup, stuffed them beneath his coat because no-one else was going to eat them anyway, and left.

With his new cargo partly weighing him down, Po did not take the rooftops on the way back, instead making his way through the streets and bridges that made up the city. As he crossed the penultimate bridge before the staircase that would take him back to the back entrance, Po took a moment to glance at the central building.

He had not stepped back into that place once since he and Tigress had decided to explore it, yet the memories of the dark room with the single bloody bed still haunted him. He thought of the masked woman in the giant painting, and wondered what the phantom that haunted the fortress's secret tomb was up to now.

Po turned away and continued along the bridge.

Once he was back in the corridor, he untied the makeshift cloak, rolled it up and tossed it up through the trapdoor. He leapt after it, and after a few wall jumps he was back in the cave.

Po returned to the campfire and set down the vegetables. He soon realized that he had brought too many. Only one person was going to be eating tonight.

Oh well, it was just soup. He would just save some for later.

Po got out his knife and began chopping up the vegetables, tossing the slices into the salvaged pot that hung over the fire.

He looked over at the feline lying motionless on the bed-mat.

Keeping Tigress alive during the storm had turned out to be a lot easier than he thought it would. The morning after Po had pulled Tigress into the little gap beneath the rock and treated her as best as he could, he had wrapped Tigress in his coat and made the long journey back up to the cave, carrying her over his shoulder like a sack. Though the weather at that time had still been horrible and freezing as hell, Po had taken his time, not wanting to risk pulling at Tigress's stitches; he had battled with the massive bleeding from Tigress's wounds twice the night before, and he hadn't exactly been looking forward to round three.

Once he had reached the cave, his first thought had been to open the trapdoor and take Tigress into the city where they could hide in case the Yeti returned. But then Po had thought of her condition, and realized that if he took her down the steep slope below the trapdoor, he may never be able to get her back up again. So he'd wrapped Tigress up with his dragon warrior shirt as well and his coat, tucked her into one of the little alcoves in the far wall, and made his way into the city himself.

He hadn't lingered in Shambhala long. After exploring several of the closest buildings, he'd successfully gathered several blankets, a metal pot to carry his supplies in, a bowl and ladle, and some branches for firewood. He'd also made a very lucky find in the second building he'd entered: a box full of bandages that he'd taken care to dip in boiling water before wrapping around Tigress's body.

He had then returned, used the blankets and wrapped Tigress up until she looked like a swaddled baby, and lit a fire.

On his second visit he'd found the gardens and collected as much produce as he could carry. He'd then hung the pot over the fire and made some soup. After having a bowl, he'd refilled and brought the bowl to Tigress's mouth. He'd given up after she made no sign of movement.

He'd then sat down beside her, bowl in hand, and thought about what to do next. Should he risk keeping her here in the cave, where she would probably be in danger if the Yeti returned? Or should he take her into the city, where it would be more difficult for their friends to find them?

But then he had remembered the storm and realized that for the moment, it didn't matter. No-one would be able to reach them in this weather.

So he'd decided to call it a day. He'd taken Tigress from the alcove and laid her on the floor. Then he'd wrapped himself up in an extra blanket, laid down beside her, and waited for the storm to end.

The next day had been vague at best. Po remembered eating the rest of the vegetables and finishing off the soup. Then he'd fought off the embarrassment long enough to change Tigress's bandages. Then he'd visited the city a third time and restocked on produce. Then after sitting near the mouth of the cave, waiting for either the storm to end or Tigress to wake up until night fell and he was a little more careful about how many vegetables he used in cooking.

Today, with the exception of a visit to the city, was no different.

Po finished cooking the soup and dipped a bowl into the pot. The soup smelled stronger and better than yesterday. Though he had visited the city three times he couldn't find a spoon for some weird reason, so he had to lift the bowl to his mouth.

His arms froze.

Was it his imagination, or did he just hear someone exhaling very softly behind him?

Po lowered the bowl and turned his head.

His heart leapt.

Tigress had opened her eyes.

* * *

When Tigress opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was orange.

Then her vision became less blurry, and she realized that she was staring at a stone ceiling illuminated in a warm orange glow.

She was in a cave. How she ended up here she didn't know.

Tigress heard a small splash coming from somewhere to her left. She tried to turn her head, but found that her neck was stiff, and her head was covered in a thick warm fabric, a blanket perhaps.

She tried to move the rest of her body. Not only did she experience massive pain in the left side of her torso, she found that she couldn't move her limbs. Something was holding them in place. She thought of ropes, and tried to struggle, despite her depleted strength. It wasn't rope. Someone had completely wrapped her up in blankets.

Tigress remembered how cold she had felt before passing out. Perhaps, someone had found her and Po and then-

Po.

The last time she had seen him he had been lying motionless in the snow after a brutal battle with the Yeti. Where was he? She couldn't see him. What if he-

Tigress tried to the struggle once more. The pain was so intense she tried to cry out, but all she could muster was a small release of breath.

"Tigress!"

Tigress's heard skipped a beat. That was Po's voice.

A moment later the panda himself was leaning over her, wearing a huge grin of relief. Tigress tried to smile in return, but her body wouldn't let her. Po was okay. He was alive. He didn't even look hurt!

"Tigress…" Po whispered. Tigress had never heard him speak so gently before, and she found it comforting. "You're finally awake."

Tigress tried and failed to speak. Then she registered a most wonderful smell.

"Here, have some of this." Po said. Tigress realized that he was holding a bowl to her mouth. "It's a little noodle soup."

He lifted her head slightly with his other paw, and patiently held the bowl as Tigress drank. The soup was the most delicious she had ever tasted, and she found that she could move her arms and legs again, though only a little due to the blankets covering her body. Once the bowl was empty Po set it and Tigress's head down.

"Feel a little better?" He asked hopefully, still bearing that relieved expression.

"Yeah." Tigress found that she could speak again, though weakly. "Po… thank god you're okay."

"Just a few cuts and bruises, nothing that can put the Dragon Warrior down." Po replied casually and with a bit of flair. That was the Po Tigress knew. She smiled slightly. "Wish I could say the same for you, though."

"How bad is it?" Tigress asked.

"You got clawed pretty badly, and you nearly bled out. Then you nearly froze to death and  _that_  was a  _total_  bummer." Tigress noticed that Po seemed to be blushing. "Anyway, we're back in the cave. How are you feeling?"

"Better, now that I had that soup. By the way, where were the noodles?"

"I couldn't find any noodles, so I made the noodle soup without them."

"Oh…" Tigress replied. "So it's just vegetable soup."

Po blushed harder.

"No! It's the exact same recipe we use in the noodle shop to make noodle soup, with the exception of noodles because I couldn't find any, and… okay, yeah it's vegetable soup." Po's shoulders slumped in defeat. Tigress laughed a little.

"How long was I out?" She asked.

"About three days." Po replied. "The storm ended a few hours ago."

Tigress's eyes widened.

"The storm is over?" She asked. Po nodded. "Then… that means we can return to the fortress."

"Woah, woah, woah!" Po exclaimed. "There is no way you're leaving this cave! You just got up, you're hurt pretty bad, you wouldn't last five minutes out there!"

Tigress's face heated up in anger.

"Po, we have to go back!" She tried to move again, but the blankets held firm. The confinement was beginning to irritate her. "We have to tell Shifu and the emperor what we have discovered!"

"But-"

"Get me out of this right now!"

"Tigress, please!" Po put his paws on her shoulders to stop her struggling. He was now looking a little angry himself, and more than a little scared. "Do you have any idea what I went through when I woke up and found you bleeding to death?! I had to take off your vest and stitch up your wounds myself with a  _very_  tiny needle! Have you ever seen four two-inch deep cuts the length of your arm up close?  _Not pleasant!_ "

Po's outburst ceased Tigress's struggles, and the two locked eyes. Tigress saw the fear and realized how unfair she was being.

Of course Po had been the one who kept her alive all this time. Who else had there been out there in that storm? And now that she thought about it, going out into a frozen wasteland with a terrible wound was a really cruddy way to repay him.

"Sorry, Po." She eventually said. "You're right, I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay." Po sighed and released her shoulders. "Don't worry, we'll head back to the fortress as soon as you're strong enough to walk."

"You don't think I'm strong enough now?" Tigress asked, a little miffed.

"Nope."

"Thanks a bunch. Well, thanks for taking care of me, and… wait, you took off my vest?"

Po broke eye contact and looked away. His cheeks were now redder than ever.

"Don't worry, I'm not mad." Tigress said with a little snigger. "Still, to make up for it, could you at least free my arms so I can feed myself from now on?"

"Oh, uh… sure."

Po had to unwrap the blankets covering Tigress's head and torso to free her arms. Her arms felt like lead as she stretched them out in front of her.

She suddenly recognized the black sleeves.

She looked down at her chest. The fabric was white and had a large golden dragon emblem.

She looked up at Po questioningly. He was still blushing, and now wasn't the only one.

"Oh, yeah." He said awkwardly. "You know, your vest doesn't have sleeves, and, you know, it was pretty torn up when I, you know, took it off and…"

Tigress cut off his babbling.

"Where's my vest?" She asked.

In answer he held up the stitched red vest. In comparison to the warm and very big shirt she was currently wearing, it looked filthy and thin.

"Ah." She said simply. "Well, thank you. So, if we're going to be staying here a while… could I have some more soup?"

Po picked up the bowl with a grin.

"Coming right up!"


	66. Freedom, Sunburn and Madness

Not for the first time, Viper felt immensely grateful for the winter coat Haoxin had given her as she burrowed through the snow.

Judging from the changes of light and dark coming from the small hole above them, they had been stranded underground for two or three days. The sound of the wind outside had been their only indicator that the storm was still raging around them. Now, the wind had subsided, and all was quiet. And that meant it was now safe to get out.

Now Viper was burrowing through the snow that was blocking the cave she, Mantis and Crane had been residing in, relying only on her sense of direction to find the surface. Back in the cave, Mantis was digging at the snow with a small spoon, and Viper doubted that he was making a lot of progress. She had refused to allow Crane to join in the effort, both because of his still broken wing and his near death experience in the avalanche that had trapped them.

She would probably get dirty looks from the others if she said it out loud, but she had found the experience of being stuck in a cave for a couple of days not as bad as she had thought it would be. Because the hole provided ventilation, it had been deemed safe to light a small campfire. Once the cave had been lit and warm, Viper and her fellow warriors had engaged in what everyone did around a fire nowadays: telling stories. They weren't exactly given away long held personal secrets, exactly, just reflecting on the all the missions and battles they had partaken in prior to Po's arrival at the Jade Palace. The battle of weeping river had been the longest tale to tell: Mantis had insisted on giving a blow-by-blow account of every enemy he had defeated in that battle… 1000 to be precise. Neither Viper or Crane could bring themselves to tell Mantis to never mind the details, and for good reason. A little after they had gotten settled in the cave, the bug had started to panic. As he had frantically explained to Crane and Viper, Po and Tigress may be stuck somewhere on the mountain, but had each other to rely on. But Monkey didn't. He was on his own, in the middle of a storm, probably in the middle of a life or death battle with the Yeti as they spoke. Viper and Crane hadn't been surprised by Mantis's fear: he and Monkey had been best friends since they had first pranked each other. Even now, as Viper continued to force her way through the snow, she knew that Mantis was still worried for his buddy.

Suddenly Viper could no longer feel the cold snow against the scales of her head: she had reached the surface. She gasped in relief as she took in the snow that consumed everything within half a mile, the open air and the sky. It was evening, and there was a cool breeze that compared to the freezing howling wind of the storm felt like a soft breath.

Viper grinned and dug back down into the snow to report back to her comrades. It would take a few hours for her and Mantis to dig a hole big enough to get the injured Crane through, and after that, their first priority was to get him back to the fortress for medical attention. Then, now that the storm had passed, she and Mantis would go back out and reunite with Po and Tigress, who if they had done what Crane had told them to should still be at the back entrance to the city of Shambhala. Even now, Viper still found the fact that the fortress was connected to a mythical city hard to believe.

And then, if Po and Tigress weren't severely injured, they would resume the search for the wayward Monkey.

And once they found him, Viper would give the primate a damn good thrashing.

* * *

In the kitchen of the fortress of White Fortitude, sitting at a table in the middle of the room, Xian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Di Tan was busying himself with washing the dishes. He had been doing a lot of catering for the last few days.

"Does this person wield a weapon?" Xian asked.

"Yeah." Said Su.

"Is it a sword?" Xian asked.

"No."

"Is it… a staff?" Shifu asked.

"Yeah."

"So here's what I know so far… it's a kung fu master, he's male, he's a mammal, and he wields a staff in combat." Xian said. "And it's not Shifu."

"We're not allowed to use people currently living in this fortress, remember? You've got about eight questions left." Su replied.

"Okay… does this person have a bushy or a hairless tail?" Xian asked.

"Bushy."

"Does he have big ears?" Shifu asked.

"Yeah."

"Does he look like a sunburnt Master Shifu?" Xian asked.

Shifu glared at the tiger.

"Yeah!" Su said excitedly.

Xian grinned like a kid.

"It's Master Firefox!" He declared.

"Yeah! You win!"

"Excuse me!" Shifu snapped, looking more than a little offended. "I look  _nothing_  like Master Firefox!"

"Actually, if you'd dye your fur and trim your tail so it'd have a point at the end, you could pass as his big brother." Xian replied. "And I'm being nice by saying 'brother'."

"Ha, ha." Shifu replied sarcastically. "If we must continue this game, then I believe it is Xian's turn."

"Oh, okay." Xian said. There was a pause as he thought. "Okay, I got it."

"Is it a girl?" Su asked the question first.

The game of guessing a kung fu master was one of many Xian, Shifu, Su and Di Tan had played every night since the storm began and trapped them within the walls of the fortress. Master Eagle Jr. was elsewhere, either debriefing the sentries, observing battle plans or searching for the missing Tujiu and Sao. As the days had gone by, their sudden disappearance after the destruction of the vulture's office had grown more and more disturbing. Where had they gone? Are they still somewhere in the fortress or had they fled? If they were still here, what were they planning? It was these thoughts that had driven Xian to practically order Eagle Jr. to search non-stop until the two were found. It was also these thoughts that had driven him to spend nearly every moment of his free time around Su to make sure she wasn't on her own, playing guessing games with her, reading in the two libraries, and overall making sure she wasn't too badly traumatized by all that had happened.

Xian was secretly astounded at how well the girl was taking it. She wasn't exactly acting childish and cheerful, as if she truly didn't understand what was going on as many children her age did. Rather, she was being very calm most of the time. She always did as she was told, she never got in the way, and never spoke unless spoken to. The only sign that she had been affected by recent events was her extreme reluctance to go to sleep every night.

Truth be told, it unnerved him. The honest way to put it was that Su's ability to cope was unnatural. She didn't react to situations like most kids do, and when she did, she got over it unusually quickly. There was also her brilliance. For some reason, she never displayed it until it was convenient. Not for the first time, it occurred to Xian that Su may not entirely have the mind of a child.

Was this why Tujiu had been so interested in her? Had her brilliance and unusual ability to adapt to even the most horrific of situations intrigued the vulture into considering her as an asset? If so, then all the more reason to play with Su and make sure she had company. If Tujiu had decided that she would become an asset after all, then Xian wasn't going to let the crazy bird have a chance to spirit her away.

Perhaps this was the same reason Shifu had joined them. After all, Xian had never known the red panda to take part in silly games such as this, even before Tai Lung.

"Master Flying Rhino." Shifu said after the eighteenth question.

"Yes." Xian said.

"I guess it's my turn then." Shifu said. "Alright, I have my answer. Start asking."

"Are you Master Yao?" Su asked.

There was a heavy pause.

"This is why I hate this game." Shifu said coolly. "Why don't we do something else?"

"Actually, it's getting late." Xian fought back a yawn. "Su, go on and get some sleep."

Su didn't move. She stared down at the table, lips pressed together nervously. Xian knew why. He exchanged glances with Di Tan. The goose sighed sympathetically, dried the last cup and walked over to Su.

"Come on, dear. I'll help you get comfortable."

It was this gentle nudging that allowed Di Tan to lead Su out the room.

Once they were alone, Xian turned to Shifu.

"You're been moody all day." He said. "You're still worried about your students, aren't you?"

"If we'd done the smart thing and left this place when we had the chance, then they wouldn't be stranded out in the most dangerous place in Asia." Shifu spoke. He spoke very quietly, his eyes cast down. "Maybe they're already dead."

"Stop blaming yourself, and don't worry about Tigress." Xian replied. "Don't forget that she has five loyal comrades to take care of her, and Eagle Jr. had made sure they'd taken the necessary medical supplies."

"I know, I know. But Tigress is still my daughter, even though I never treated her like one. I'm just afraid that I may never be able to set things right."

"Don't worry, you will. Now that the storm is over and it's no longer suicide to go outside, I'm sure your students will be back soon." When Shifu didn't reply, he added, "Look, if there's no sign of them by the morning after next, we'll head out to look for them ourselves. We still have the co-ordinates for the lost city, we can start there."

* * *

Tujiu was sleeping.

He was mumbling, but he was definitely asleep.

Slowly, silently, Colonel Sao climbed out of his sleeping bag and reached into the small bag. It was difficult rummaging around in the dark, but he didn't dare light a lantern. He pulled out the mirror of communication, stood up, and crept out of the room where they had been hiding for the last several days.

He entered a room where spare mechanical parts were kept and shut the door. Then he lit the lamp, allowing himself to see the mirror clearly.

He held the mirror up to his face and waited.

He knew he would be waking her up, and Hei Nuwang would be angry. But right now he had no choice but to speak to her alone. He just hoped she would have enough patience to listen.

A few minutes passed, and then he saw her face in the mirror. Sure enough, she looked ready to strangle him.

"Tujiu, I ought to eat your heart for-" She stopped, mildly surprised despite her anger. "Oh, you're the colonel. Do you know what time this is?"

"I'm sorry, my lady, but this was the only time I could speak with you without Tujiu knowing."

Hei Nuwang didn't reply for a few seconds.

"What seems to be the trouble?"

"I'm worried about Tujiu." Sao said. "We thought that if we hid ourselves, then we wouldn't have the emperor and the grandmaster breathing down our necks. But I fear it's made things worse."

"Go on."

"He's losing it." Sao spoke quietly and quickly. "A few days ago, he could keep it under control whenever our enemies were present, but down here it's gotten worse. He keeps muttering about Xian and how he's ruined everything for him. Even you would be disturbed by the things he's said. I am worried that he's letting his grudge with Xian overcome him."

"Why do I not have a surprised feeling?" Hei Nuwang asked. She leaned closer to the mirror's surface. Her purple eyes seemed to be glowing, and she was showing off her fangs with a cruel smile. "Colonel Sao, can I tell you a little secret?"

Nervously, Sao nodded.

"I've been contemplating how to get rid of him for a long time." She said cheerfully. "And thanks to Tujiu's brilliant idea to send a message to the Valley of Peace, I had a lovely idea!"

"What did you do?" Sao asked cautiously.

"Let's just say that the royal family now knows Tujiu for the insane imbecile he is. Now back to business. What do you expect me to do something about him?" Hei Nuwang asked icily.

"Nothing." Sao said quickly. "All I ask for is your approval."

"Approval?"

"Lady Hei Nuwang, the reason why I am telling you this is because I feel that Tujiu is becoming a liability. If he completely loses it, he could jeopardize the mission. I am requesting permission to eliminate him if I decide he's become too dangerous."

Hei Nuwang tilted her head. Sao waited for her answer. And then, she smiled.

"Well, nice to know someone respects my authority. Fine, you have my permission."

"Thank you, my-"

"I'm not finished." Hei Nuwang spoke. "First, I want you to follow his plan. Let him create a little chaos in the fortress. And then you can decide his fate. Personally, I hope you decide to eviscerate the fool. Let his guts spill to the floor and stink the place up like a dead horse in august."

"Y-Yes, my lady."

"Once things quiet down, there will be many casualties. With luck, the Yeti will be one of them. I want you to finish off all those who are not loyal to the order and then secure the sarcophagus."

"What if the Yeti reaches the sarcophagus before I do?"

"Then you will be deemed a failure like Tujiu and killed."

"Oh."

"However…" Hei Nuwang suddenly looked thoughtful. "There is a little something you can do for me… something that will allow me to forgive you if you fail to acquire the sarcophagus…"

"What do you want?"

"It's very simple. All you have to do is…"


	67. Alone in the Firelight

Tigress couldn't help but admit it: it felt a little nice to be wearing loose clothing for once.

She pulled one of the sleeves of Po's shirt further down her arm as she watched Po fill another bowl. It would be her sixth one tonight.

Several hours had passed since she'd awoken, and she was feeling a lot better since then. She blamed the soup. Though she had to endure a bit of pain, with Po's assistance she had adjusted her weakened body into a sitting position, making it easier to eat the soup Po kept giving her. Normally she would never eat this much (her diet wouldn't allow it), but Po insisted she get as much food as she can in her, and he was right. She hadn't eaten since she'd fallen unconscious several days ago, and would need her strength for the return trip to the fortress.

Even so, after her third bowl and change in body position, she'd insisted on waiting a little before her next bowl.

And so they had talked. Actually it was more of an interrogation, as Tigress wanted to know all that had happened while she had been unconscious. As Po explained, he hadn't seen Crane, Viper or Mantis since they'd separated, and there was still no sign of Monkey. The Yeti had also made no appearance since their confrontation. In turn, Tigress told Po what had happened after he had been knocked out during the battle. She told him how the Yeti had clawed her, mentioned something called the 'order', before Tigress managed to push it over a cliff. Po's reaction to Tigress's recollection of the Yeti's defeat was unsurprising; he'd yelled "AWESOME!" and barely resisted the urge to pat her on the back. However, his grin had faded somewhat when she had informed him that she wasn't certain the Yeti was dead.

"So it might still be alive?" He'd asked. "Aw darn."

"It hasn't shown up since I defeated it." Tigress stated. "That may be a good sign."

Po didn't answer, unconvinced. Instead he'd decided that it was time for bowl number four.

And now, he was handing bowl number six to her. It smelled as delicious as its predecessor.

"I'd like to make this my last bowl, if that's okay." She spoke, and almost regretted it. Sitting in a warm cave near a small campfire with a bowl of Mr. Ping's secret ingredient soup in hand, her lower half wrapped in soft blankets, she hadn't felt this comfortable in years.  
"Sure, it's okay." Po said, a moment before he started his tenth bowl.

"Are you sure there were no spoons?" Tigress asked.

"None so far, thought I did find some chopsticks. If you want, I can visit the city tomorrow and try and find some." Po replied.

"That would be great, as long as you be careful."

There was silence as the pair finished their bowls. Then Po stacked them away in the corner and kneeled down next to Tigress, a roll of bandages in hand.

"Okay, I'm gonna have to change your wrappings." Po said. "You don't mind if I take my- I mean your shirt off, do you?" He was blushing.

Tigress shook her head.

"Where did you get those bandages?" She asked.

"I found them in the city. Don't worry, I put them in boiling water before putting them on you."

"Good, you remembered Viper's lessons on hygiene. Wish I could say the same for table manners."

"Hey! In case you haven't noticed, I've started chewing with my mouth shut a lot more than I usually do! And I drink my soup with my pinky sticking out!"

"Relax, I'm just teasing!" Tigress started to laugh, but gasped as pain stabbed at her side. Po gripped her shoulder, as if worried she would pass out again.

"Well don't." Po said. "You never tease, and when you do it freaks me out. Now hold still so I can change your wrappings."

Tigress wanted to protest, but the recent bout of pain from her stitching informed her that she wouldn't be able to get the shirt off by herself. And so, with extreme reluctance, she let Po slowly pull the shirt over her head. She felt a little relieved when she saw that he hadn't taken off her undergarments.

The wrappings covered over half her body, and was stained red in the area where her wound was. The exposure of her skin to the air chilled her a little, but that chill vanished the moment Po put his paws on her torso as he began unwrapping the bandages. Tigress's face felt hotter than the fire that filled the cave with light and warmth, and her heart was racing. No-one had ever touched her like this before, not even her comrades when they treated her that time she got shot by a bandit's arrow. She felt no pain as Po worked, yet still she was biting her lip. Maybe it was because he was technically seeing her half-naked, but right she was having an abnormal reaction to having a comrade follow standard medical procedure.

She glanced at Po's face; he was grimacing at the four gashes, stitched closed with the same thread he'd used to repair his pants. Tigress felt a little stunned herself; the longest gash must be nearly twenty centimeters long.

"Aren't you going to wrap me back up again?" Tigress had just realized that he had been staring at her maimed body for ten seconds.

"I'm just checking for signs of infection." Po said.

"Ah. Good job with the stitches, by the way."

"You know, I had actually considered cauterizing them." Po spoke.

"What?"

"I had the knife and the fire in the lantern to do it." Po went on. He looked more than a little ashamed. "But I couldn't do it. So I went for stitching instead."

Tigress had been burned a couple of times before, both times on the field of fiery death. Both times the pain had been indescribable.

"A good choice." She said eventually. "There're a lot of risks that come with cauterization anyway." Po still looked ashamed, so she added, "Thank you by the way."

Po looked up from her gashes.

"For what?"

"For keeping me alive."

The corners of Po's mouth twitched upwards.

"Your welcome. Try and keep your body straight." He replied, and began administering fresh bandages. Tigress's heart began pumping again as he repeatedly put his arms around her as he wrapped the bandages round and round again. A couple of minutes later she was once more wearing Po's shirt.

"Are you sure you're okay with just your coat?" She'd asked before getting redressed.

"Yeah, don't forget I still have 250 pounds of fat to protect me." Po patted his belly, which rumbled in response. Tigress bit back a laugh, not wanting to pull at her stitches.

Po then sat down beside her, so close their bodies touched. Together they stared through the exit of the cave. It was pitch dark out, save for the tiny snowflakes that drifted lazily past the cave like petals on a river.

Tigress leaned back further against the wall, taking in the warmth of the fire and the peacefulness of the moment. It was just the two of them, all alone in the firelight, waiting for the dawn that she hadn't seen in days.

Just the two of them, Tigress suddenly realized.

Yes, they were alone. No Furious Five to interrupt their conversation. No Monkey and Mantis to make a crack at either of them.

Maybe, now that they were alone, it wouldn't cause much harm to finish a conversation that they had started long ago, back when they had yet to truly understand each other.

Tigress clenched her fists. She had been meaning to ask this question for a long time.

"Po…" She hesitated. She felt Po shift as he turned his head. "Back when you first came to the palace… was I really that heartless towards you?"

"Heartless?" Though she couldn't see, she could hear the surprise. "I wouldn't say heartless. A little mean, maybe, but-"

"Back on the boat, you said that I was so hardcore I couldn't feel anything." Tigress cut him off. She was being rude, but she so desperately needed to get this out while there was no chance of being interrupted yet again. "Back then, did I really come across as so cruel and emotionless that I didn't have a soul? Be honest with me!"

"If being mad at me doesn't count as an emotion, then yeah." Po replied. "Tigress, I will admit that you weren't the nicest person back then, but the past must remain in the past." He put a thick but very warm arm around her shoulders, propped between the wall and her head like a pillow. "I'm a little glad that you know that the way you treated me was wrong, but that was years ago! What happened between us was a bad first impression, nothing more."

"How can you be so forgiving?!" Tigress demanded. "I treated you like crap for weeks, even after you defeated Tai Lung, I still treated you like a burden!"

"Well I was!" Po replied casually.

"Wait, what?" Tigress finally turned her head to face him. To her disbelief, he was smiling slightly.

"Tigress, you remember how many mistakes I used to make after I became Dragon Warrior?" Po went on. "I wiped all your memories to try and get out of chores! I once let a crazy inventor into the training hall and he turned it into a killing machine! My table manners were so bad I was the only one not invited to a banquet! And I actually once drove you from the Jade Palace! Personally, I think even I would be ticked off with myself."

"What's your point?" Tigress demanded.

"My point is that the reason it was so easy to forgive you was because I don't blame you for being mad at me. A lot of the time, I think back on the things I did, and I say to myself, 'you probably wouldn't have gotten off on the wrong foot if you weren't such an idiot.' And then I do more stupid stuff and think back on them, and it goes on and on and on and on and on…"

"Are you saying that you blame yourself?" Tigress asked. "But what about what happened during the tournament, when you became chosen as the Dragon Warrior? We had never met before."

"Aside from that time I set a table on fire when you came to the noodle shop." Po mentioned.

"Never mind that!"

"Alright. Anyway, that time I sorta took away your chance at becoming the Dragon Warrior. At first I did wonder why you hated me more than the others. But when I found out about the orphanage exactly what your relationship with Shifu was, I realized just how badly I screwed you over."

Tigress remained silent as she took this in.

"Look, that was years ago, and things between us have gotten a lot better since then." Po gently pulled Tigress closer to him with his arm. "If it means that much to you, then I forgive you for being mean to me. And I'm sorry about what I said on the boat. I didn't mean it the way you think I did."

Tigress brought her knees up to her chest despite the pain.

"I actually needed to hear that." She whispered. "Thank you."

"I think it's time we let this go, do you?"

For the first time since they'd started this conversation, Tigress smiled. It was a small smile, but she still felt like a massive weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She no longer needed to beat herself up. She understood at last why Po had been so forgiving to her. Maybe now she could let her mind rest.

Suddenly Po let out a massive yawn.

"Ahhh… I think it's time we get some sleep." Po said. "Do you want me to help you lie down?"

Though a little miffed that he thought she needed help with such a mundane task, Tigress remembered how painful it had been when sitting up and bit back her sarcasm.

"Actually, this is comfortable enough already." She replied softly. She hadn't been sarcastic when she thought of Po's arm as like a pillow. She let her head rest against his shoulder, and felt Po stiffen slightly. A moment later he relaxed, and with his other arm pulled the makeshift sleeping bag further up her body.

"Goodnight, Tigress." Po said. "We'll see if you're well enough to travel tomorrow."

"Goodnight Po." Tigress replied.

Silence fell as they both began to let their eyelids droop.

Po was the first to fall asleep.

Once she was sure his eyes were fully shut, Tigress carefully reached into the blankets and found the pocket of her pants. She didn't think he'd found it while she was unconscious, otherwise he would have brought it up already.

Tigress pulled out a stick. It was an unusual stick, bent into an L shape and hollow. Tigress let the paw holding the stick rest on her legs as she gazed at it.

She thought of that terrible moment the chamber in the Temple of Heroes had flooded completely, and she'd run out of air, and then Po, the only other occupant in the chamber, had saved her life with this very stick. She had been a jerk to him that time, too.

_And yet again he forgave me, and now I know why. He would always see both sides of the same coin, and even if he didn't he would always assume that my treatment was justified, and forgive me anyway. Perhaps one day, I can follow his example._

She put the stick back where she'd hidden it and allowed tiredness to take over.

Po was truly an amazing guy. Despite his quirks, he would always find a way to make up for it. Even though at times he had a funny way of showing it, it was obvious that he cared for her unconditionally, and for Tigress this was a first. So were her unusual reactions to Po touching her so tenderly, to those moments when he would unintentionally embarrass himself but in an endearing manner. What she wouldn't give to tell Po how she felt, how much his friendship meant to her, how his very presence would warm her heart like a black and white sun…

That was when Tigress realized that she was in love with him.


	68. Konnichiwa!

The skies were as clear as water that morning.

The breeze was light and the sun was soft on the eyes.

Perfect weather for a speech.

Emperor Xian stood before the mass of imperial soldiers that gathered in the fortress's courtyard, taking in the many weary yet attentive faces. Every single surviving man was here, waiting for their ruler to speak.

Master Eagle Jr. stood to his right. No-one stood to his left. Su and Di Tan were absent, busy entertaining themselves in the library, with Shifu watching over them in case Tujiu and Sao made a reappearance.

The armor Xian bore, shining darkly on his torso, felt light and cold, even though he was still wearing his vest underneath. He didn't bother with a helmet, but a glimmering sword hung by his side.

His audience continued to wait. Xian closed his eyes as he thought about what he was about to say. And then he spoke.

"With the passing of the storm, I have decided to use this opportunity to speak to you all." He said. The soldiers stayed silent. "Firstly, I believe I owe you all an apology." Several of them actually looked surprised. "None of you would be in this predicament if I had not given to authorization for this ill-fated expedition. If I had even been remotely aware of how this would end, I would never have allowed General Tujiu to bring you all here. For that, I am sorry."

There was a murmur here and there, but what shocked Xian was the fact that the minute he'd finished his statement, no-one was glaring at him. Not one of the men was giving him an accusing look, or eyes full of blame and hatred. Why weren't they blaming him?

A moment later Xian understood why. They already had someone else to blame.

"As you all know, we have had many tragedies befall us over the last few weeks. More than a hundred of your comrades have died at the hands of a brutal and intelligent killer. As I have already said, if we had not been here, none of this would have happened. While I blame myself partially for these events, I feel that the former General Tujiu is also holds some responsibility."

More murmurs, and this time, they were of agreement. Xian suspected that they had been blaming Tujiu long before Xian, Shifu and the Jade Palace masters came to the fortress.

"You may not know this, but when I received word of the murders, I had sent repeated orders for Tujiu to cancel the expedition and organize a full retreat. Every one he has ignored. And so I feel he is mostly to blame. I also believe that Colonel Sao holds some responsibility as well. It has recently come to my attention that he and Tujiu have been conspiring together. For what and why I do not know. But both Tujiu and Sao have been missing for the last several days."

The murmurs got a little louder. Xian waited for the murmurs to fade before continuing. This was good. Everyone here knew Tujiu was responsible. It would make what he was about so say next a lot easier to get across.

"Every single one of you, the moment you enlisted in the imperial army, swore an oath of allegiance to the royal family. Now I want every single one of you to live up to that oath. As of this moment, General Tujiu and Colonel Sao are officially traitors, and must be brought to justice. If anyone sees or hears any sign of Tujiu and Sao's whereabouts, they must report it immediately so they can be apprehended. If I find that anyone is withholding information, or worse, harboring these traitors, it will be considered not only treason, but the ultimate dishonor. Is that clear?"

Silence. Xian decided to take it as a yes.

"Good." He said.

Now for the hard part. He never was very good at speeches. He could see the hopelessness and grief in many of their faces. Bringing back hope was not going to be easy.

Unless… he didn't have to.

Xian's eyes widened as he remembered who he was talking to. Soldiers. Warriors of all ages and all species who all had one thing in common: they were all willing to die to protect their country. Even though that wasn't entirely true, Tujiu and Sao being prime examples, Xian realized that hope that they would all get out of this alive wasn't what they needed; they all knew it was false hope. What they needed was a purpose. A mission. For the last few days all they've done was patrol around aimlessly waiting for death.

And now that was about to change.

"As I have said, we have lost many men these last few weeks. Every one of us has lost comrades. Some of them were even friends. I know how it feels to lose someone you care about. If you've ever heard of the fire that destroyed the royal palace nearly three decades ago, then you know I'm telling the truth." As he spoke, Xian put a paw on his chest armor. Beneath the armor and his vest, the locket rested against his aching heart. "I am asking you now… do not let their deaths be in vain. Remember why you came here in the first place. Your job is to protect this fortress and ensure that it does not fall into the hands of the enemy. With the storm gone, an attack from our enemy could occur at any moment. Remember why we have claimed this fortress. This building possesses powerful secrets, secrets that in the wrong hands, could spell catastrophe for China. Every one of you must defend this building to the very last man."

No murmurs this time, but a few doubtful looks from those who looked the most despairing.

"I'm not asking for obedience. I'm asking you to trust. Trust that when this is over, not just our lives will be saved, but our country too. Trust that honor, loyalty, and teamwork will be enough to get us through the days ahead."

Xian took a step back, the most important part of his speech finished. Now to finish off.

"With General Tujiu no longer available, I have now fully passed on command to my ally, Master Eagle Jr. Not only is he proficient in kung fu, he has military experience. From now on, he is officially in command of this army."

The whispering that followed was louder than ever. Positive or negative, Xian wasn't sure, but right now he couldn't care less. His speech was finished, and right now he wanted nothing more than to be in the company of friends.

Xian stepped back into the main building, leaving Eagle Jr. to step forward and begin his first action as acting commander-in-chief, and made his way to the library to check up on Shifu and the others.

As always, the halls he wandered through were empty and quiet, a lot different than back home in the royal palace. As a child he would pretend he was a kung fu master, having desired to learn the art longer before he was sent to the jade palace to learn the skills of manhood, and play in the many corridors, punching and kicking at invisible enemies and shouting like a lunatic. Of course at the end of every day his father would sit him down very gently and remind him that he was a prince, and as a prince you could do many things, but behaving like a toddler in full view of the servants was not one of them. Xian smiled at the memory. His father had never been a strict man, but he had always held honor very close to his heart. That was probably the reason why he had been sent to the jade palace when he was a teen.

Xian stepped into the last corridor before the library. He approached the sharp bend.

_Don't let them take me._

Xian froze mid step.

Who had said that?

Xian's tea colored eyes scanned the corridor ahead. The voice had definitely come from right in front of him.

_Why did you come here? Do you know who they are?_

Xian stepped forward towards the sound of the voice. He blinked. Did he just see someone peek out from around the corner?

"Hey!"

Xian started running. Whoever that was, it definitely wasn't someone he knew.

He reached the corner, arm reached out to grab whoever he had just seen-

" _Konnichiwa!_ "

Xian found himself staring down at a little panda girl who was looking cheerfully back with beautiful dark blue eyes.

"Huh?" Xian wasn't quite sure what he'd heard.

" _O genki desu ka?_ "

On a bench sitting against the wall, Di Tan was chuckling at Xian's puzzled expression.

"Su, sweetheart, I don't think he understands Japanese."

"Japanese?" Xian asked. Suddenly it clicked. "Ah!  _Japanese_!" He quickly glanced around the library. Su was standing in front of him. Di Tan was sitting on a bench. Shifu was just emerging from the entrance to the second library. There was no-one else in the room. "Actually my father taught me a few languages. It's one of the things a future ruler needs to know." Xian knelt down to Su's level. " _Hai, genki desu. Anata wu?_ "

" _Hai, genki desu._ " Su replied sweetly. It was so endearing that for a moment Xian forgot about his strange encounter. Xian smiled back at her and looked at Shifu.

"Do you mind telling me why she's speaking Japanese all of a sudden?" He asked.

Shifu jerked his thumb at Di Tan.

"Hey, when I asked her about all these languages she learned, I didn't mean to flip a switch!" Di Tan replied defensively.

"To cut a long story short, we came across these Japanese scrolls, our conversation moved to Su knowing Japanese, and now she's showing off." Shifu replied dryly. "She probably reckoned that we didn't believe her when she said she knew five languages."

"Do you have any idea what she's saying?" Di Tan asked.

"Well, just now she asked, 'Hello, how are you?" Xian replied. Su shuffled her feet bashfully. "And I said I was fine, and asked how she was. She said she was fine, too. By that way, that was very good."

" _Domo._ " Su replied happily.

"Su, I think you've proved your point." Di Tan said warmly. "Would you like to go back to speaking mandarin, now?"

"Okay!" Su spoke. "Oh and Master Shifu…  _Anata wa subarashīdesu!_ "

Shifu raised his eyebrows.

"And what does that mean?"

"It means, 'you are awesome!" Su replied. "I thought it might be something Po would like to learn! He said once that he always wanted to try Japanese food. I thought he'd like to know how to say all his weird catchphrases in another language. Another one I'm thinking about is  _Anata ga sono saigo no dango o motte iru tsumoridesu ka?_ "

Xian stifled his laughter.

"What does  _that_  mean?"

Su gave her most genuinely innocent look.

"It means, 'are you going to have that last dumpling?"

Di Tan snorted into the book he was reading while Shifu lifted a hand to cover the huge grin on his face.

"What's 'skadoosh' in Japanese?" Shifu asked.

Su rubbed her chin. "I'm sorry, I don't know that one. I never said my Japanese was perfect. Maybe he'd like to learn  _Ow, watashi no nyūsatsu!_ "

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Xian didn't know this particular phrase, and was looking forward to finding out.

"Um, it means 'ow, my tenders.'"

Shifu hunched over as he fought to keep from laughing. Xian and Di Tan had lost that battle before it even begun. Su stared at the three of them in confusion, innocently wondering what she had done to make them laugh so hard, until they eventually calmed down.

"I absolutely love that kid!" Di Tan wiped tears from his eyes as Su tilted her head, still very puzzled. "I am definitely telling my family about this when I get home!"

"What? What did I do?" Su asked.

"I'll tell you when you're older." Di Tan said, now calmed down somewhat. He then got up from the bench. "Right, I think I'll go to the kitchen and whip up something!"

"I'll go with you." Xian said. "Until Tujiu and his accomplice are found I don't want you going anywhere on your own."

"Oh alright." Di Tan said, though he looked a little disgruntled. "So there's still no sign of that two-faced trouble-maker?"

Xian shook his head.

"Either he's fled or plotting something. Until he's either found or confirmed no longer in this fortress, I want you under watch at all times. There's a chance he might end up using you or Su as a hostage."

Di Tan gulped.

"I see." He said. "Su, would you like to come with us? Didn't you say you wanted to practice your cooking?"

" _Hai!_ " Su ran to Di Tan's side.

"I'll take that as a yes." The goose chuckled. "Xian, you'll have to teach me the lingo, sometime.  
"Count on it-" Xian stopped mid-sentence when a soldier stepped into the room.

"Your highness." He spoke respectfully.

"What news?" Xian asked simply.

"Master Eagle Jr. sends his apologies, but he is unable to speak to you himself at the moment. He has told me to inform you that the defense strategy is in place and every soldier is at their designated post."

"Good." Xian said.

"He has also requested that you remain within this building at all times, for your own safety. He said that despite your fighting ability you are still the Emperor, and it is our duty to protect you, and it will be safer it you remain indoors where it is more secure."

"Well that's fair enough." Xian sighed. "Anything else?"

"He has also requested that you and Grandmaster Shifu meet with him as soon as possible to discuss battle strategy. He has arranged for Mr. Di Tan and the girl-"

"Her name is Su." Shifu spoke sharply.

"Su, my apologies." The soldier corrected himself. "He has arranged for them to be watched by four guards during the meeting."

"Very well. Tell him we will be there straight away." Xian said. "You may go."

The soldier bowed and left.

"Alright, let's go." Xian said. "Su, Di Tan, you'd better come with us until we meet this guard."

* * *

Now that the storm had passed, he could get back to work.

The Yeti pulled the sack full of powder kegs from the crack in the rock and made his way back up the mountain.

He could no longer use the back entrance, he thought with anger. The place had been compromised, and though it was unlikely that anyone other than the panda and tiger would come across it any time soon, it was too risky. Fortunately there were others ways into the city, ways only he and Ember knew.

The Yeti slung the sack over his shoulder, took a lingering look at the fortress far away and kept moving.

He felt  _her_  stir. She was getting restless. The measures taken to suppress her anger were getting weaker by the hour. Soon the monsters who'd hurt her would be suffering before she was ever released.

The Yeti felt mild pleasure at the thought, but turned away from the fortress and tightened his grip on the sack of explosive powder.

He had a lot of work to do before the first attack.


	69. I'm Gonna Kill You

_Ten months ago, in the Valley of Peace, a sweaty and disheveled Crane had emerged from the training hall and came face to face with a very welcome guest._

_It had been an exhausting day. Monkey, Tigress, Crane and Po had been forced to practice with the Tri Bo Yao… more specifically, Monkey, Tigress and Crane had to make Po master the Tri Bo Yao for the entire day before Shifu returned from a day-long trip and found out he had forgotten to practice again. Three days ago someone, not Crane, had left a boiling cauldron full of dirty clothes lying around in the kitchen, on the stove of all places. No-one could really blame Shifu for mistaking it for soup and before anyone could warn him he had tried an entire ladleful. What came after had not been pretty. No-one knew who was responsible, for no-one was brave enough to come forward. And after three days of scrubbing floors and enduring Shifu's death glares, they still had yet to get back into his good books._

_Anyway, after having his body bruised by a stray Tri Bo Yao for the umpteenth time, Crane had decided to take a break, and stepped out of the training hall._

_He stopped dead._

_For a moment, he stared at the mountain cat he hadn't seen in years. Then he grinned._

_"Mei Ling!"_

_Mei Ling laughed as he literally lunged at her, wrapping his wings around her._

_"Hey, watch it!" She chuckled. "I've got a toddler strapped to my back, here!"_

_"Oh, sorry!" Crane released her as quickly as he had hugged her, and that was when he noticed the small happy face peering over Mei Ling's shoulder._

_"No way… is that Kuo?!"_

_The child giggled._

_"He's so big now! That can't be the same baby!"_

_"It can and it is." Mei Ling replied. "Oh, and it's good to see you too."_

_"Let me get a proper look at him…"_

_Mei Ling obliged, removing Kuo from her back and holding him in her arms. Crane looked at the cub, and the cub stared back._

_"Is it me, or does he not seem to recognize me?" Crane asked, more than a little puzzled._

_"He probably doesn't remember you with your head feathers on." Mei Ling smirked. Then she leaned her head forward towards her son. "Kuo, sweetie, don't you recognize your uncle Crane?"_

_Suddenly the child's eyes widened and he pointed a tiny finger at the spot between Crane's eyes._

_"Baldy!" He cried._

_The look on Crane's face made Kuo and Mei Ling burst out laughing._

_The door opened behind them, and out stepped Po, Tigress and Monkey, all looking equally worn out. It was a hot summer's days, and they were all feeling the heat._

_Po was the first to react, with a gasp._

_"No way! Master Mei Ling, best of best in the famed Lee Da Kung Fu Academy who was the only one who recognized Crane's talent and encouraged him to join the Kung Fu tryouts and get inducted into the school?!"_

_"Po, what are you doing?!" Crane was mortified. "Of course it's Mei Ling, you've met her before!"_

_'Last time I met her, I never got a chance to freak out!" Po replied. "Now let me fini-"_

_Tigress slapped a paw over his mouth._

_"Oh no you don't." she said sternly. "You have a fifteen minute break and I want you to spend that time studying Tri Bo Yao techniques. Good to see you, Mei Ling."_

_The next five minutes consisted of pleasant greetings from the rest of the Five. At one point they had all frozen stiff at the sound of an 'ahem' that sounded scarily like Shifu's, which turned out to be Zeng with a bad cold. The scare had been enough for Tigress and the others to literally drag Po to the hall of warriors to spend the next ten minutes studying, with the promise to properly welcome Mei Ling later this evening, leaving only Crane remaining._

_"So, Mei Ling, what brings you here?" Crane asked._

_Mei Ling adjusted her grip on Kuo. Now that the others had gone and things had quieted down, he was beginning to fall asleep._

_"What do you think? To meet up with an old friend I haven't seen since 'the incident'." She replied. Was it Crane's imagination, or did a shadow cross her face just now? "Anyway, I thought there were five of you."_

_"Oh, you mean Viper and Mantis." Crane said. Viper was the only member of the Five who had never met Mei Ling. "They're in the barracks. I'm not sure what they're doing. Do you want to meet them?"_

_"Of course I do. And afterwards, can I talk to you in your room? In private?"_

_"Uh… sure."_

_In the barracks, Crane tapped on Viper's door. There was a small clatter, and then the door opened._

_"Hey, Viper, Mantis! You'll never guess who_ ooooooh my god _!"_

_"Oh shut up!" Viper was bearing what appeared to be three-dozen acupuncture needles running down her body. Mantis, who had opened the door, was still holding six needles. "Mantis, you've got five seconds to get all this stuff off me!"_

_"Viper, are you alright?" Crane asked, for the snake looked very pained. She couldn't even seem to turn her head fully to look at them._

_Mantis looked sheepish._

_"As it turns out, it's just as hard to find nerve points on a snake as it is on a panda." He said. "Sorry, I've just gotta-" He suddenly realized Mei Ling was there. "Woah! Mei Ling! What are you doing here?"_

_"Who's Mei Ling?" Viper asked. Mantis quickly hopped back to her and removed the needles, allowing her to see Mei Ling for the first time. She blinked._

_"Viper, this is Mei Ling." Crane said. "I used to talk a lot about her, remember? She's an old friend from the academy I used to train in."_

_"An old… friend?" For some reason, Viper wasn't smiling._

_"Yeah, and this little guy's her son."_

_Viper's eyes fell on Kuo, and the change in demeanor was instantaneous._

_"Oh he's so CUTE!"_

_She slithered over to get a better look at the child._

_"You just wanna eat him up!" She tickled Kuo's chin with her tail, and the cub laughed. He must have taken an instant liking to her, for he started reaching out towards Viper's flower headpieces, trying to grab them. "So this is little Kuo! To be honest, I thought Crane was making it up when he said that your were married."_

_"Well actually…" Mei Ling started, but stopped when Kuo started tugging at his mother's vest, giving tiny little whimpers. "Oh, looks like he's hungry. You don't mind if I go in the kitchen, do you?"_

_Viper shook her head._

_"Not at all. Crane does a wonderful vegetable stir fry, I think Kuo would love it."_

_"Alright, then." Mei Ling turned to Crane. "Shall we?"_

_In the kitchen, Crane finished his cooking and set the bowl down on the table Mei Ling had sat Kuo upon._

_"We should probably wait until it cools down enough for him to eat." Crane said. "So, what'd you want to talk about?"_

_Mei Ling stroked the fur on Kuo's cheeks, the smile on her face not entirely sincere._

_"You don't mind if I cut right to the chase, do you?" She asked. "I have to return to the academy as soon as possible and I can't afford to give a full explanation."_

_Crane shook his head._

_"Good. Look, in a few days I'm being sent on a mission. I'll be gone for a few months, maybe even longer than that. And this mission is so dangerous that there is a big chance that it will be my last."_

_Crane stared at her._

_"What sort of mission is this?"_

_"Top secret, and you can't tell anyone. The only reason I'm telling you anything is because you deserve an explanation for what I'm about to ask of you."_

_Crane waited for her to continue._

_"Kuo's going to be looked after by a nanny while I'm gone, but there isn't really anyone at the academy that I can really call a guardian."_

_Crane stiffened as he realized where she was going with this._

_"Crane… we've known each other for years. I even put on a freaky mask and scared two gorillas to death for you. I know I left this a little late, but… Crane… just in case this mission ends… badly… could you be his godfather?"_

_Crane's reply was instant and not something he had expected himself to say._

_"Yes…" Mei Ling smiled slightly in relief. "But not right away."_

_"What?" Her smile faded. "Why not right away?"_

_"I can't take him in just off the bat if something happens, because I'd be too busy doing everything I can to make sure it doesn't come to that."_

_Kuo crawled across the table to sniff the stir fry._

_"I had a feeling you'd say that." Mei Ling said, the smile back on her face and wider than ever. "You know, Kuo's actually adopted."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yes. But that doesn't stop me from loving him any less." Mei Ling picked Kuo up, picked up a piece of stir fry with chopsticks, and began feeding him. The cub held out his paws, trying to take the bits of stir fry off the chopsticks before she could get it into his mouth. "Thank you, Crane. It's good to know that he'll be looked after if something happens."_

_"Why would you think something would happen?" Crane asked. Even after Crane had joined the academy as a student and shown off his natural talents, Mei Ling had always been the best of the best._

_"I can't tell you that." Mei Ling's ears flattened._

_"Oh. Yeah. The mission's classified."_

_"Swear to me you won't tell anyone that I mentioned a mission. Not even Master Shifu, though I think he might be in on it."_

_"Okay. I swear."_

_Mei Ling lifted Kuo off the table and held him close as he nibbled the last of the meal. There was relief in her eyes, but there was fear and sadness too._

_"Okay." She replied. "I'm sorry I have to go."_

_"Awww…" Kuo pouted._

_Crane looked equally dismayed._

_"Already? You just got here!"_

_"Crane, I had to beg to postpone the mission until I could speak with you." Mei Ling said. "Besides, a hot girl like me would just distract you."_

_"Excuse me?"_

_Mei Ling smirked._

_"Come on, when you came to visit and told me about your new friends… I saw the look on your face when you were talking about-'_

_"I don't have a crush on Viper."_

_"How did you know I was going to say Viper?"_

_Crane fell silent, mortified. Mei Ling burst out laughing. Kuo sucked his thumb, not caring about their conversation._

_"Wow, I didn't even have to trick you, that time!" She chuckled. "Look, if you're really having trouble telling her how you feel, why don't you try giving her a little gift first?"_

_"A gift?"_

_"Yeah, a gift. Make sure it's a color she likes."_

_Crane paused to think._

_"Well, I know she loves the color purple... why is Kuo making that face?"_

_In seconds there was a foul smelling odor emanating from Kuo. Mei Ling sighed, lifted him tentatively off her lap, and set him back down on the table._

_"At least he didn't do it on the journey." She muttered. "Crane, be a pal and get some new pants out my bag, will you?"_

_Crane returned as Mei Ling placed her adopted son on the kitchen bench. Both of them were grimacing._

_Mei Ling reached for Kuo's soiled pants._

_"Okay, on three… one… two… three…"_

"PULL! One… two… three… PULL!"

"Hey, keep your voice down!" Viper snapped at Mantis. "Remember what happened last time?"

"Oi! It wasn't my fault Crane was buried alive under five feet of snow!"

"I never said it was. But I have a feeling that  _someone_  caused that avalanche!"

"By someone you mean me!"

"No, by someone I mean someone! Use your ears!"

" _Ear!_  Not ears! Ear!"

"Uh, guys, still stuck in a hole, here…"

" _Zip it, Crane!_ " Both Mantis and Viper snapped at once.

With one last tug, Viper and Mantis succeeded in pulling Crane out from beneath the snow. It had taken hours to dig a tunnel stretching from the buried cave to the surface, and hours more to drag Crane through it without hurting his wing further. But they managed.

'Wait, what about the bagpacks?" Mantis asked.

"Forget them." Viper said. "We've eaten most the food and we've got our safety sticks. Let's get going before another avalanche tries to kill us." Her expression was softer as she turned to Crane. "You'll be alright walking, won't you?"

Crane nodded. His wing hurt, but it was bearable.

The three warriors started trudging through the snow in the direction of the fortress, sticks poking the snow in front of them to reveal any hidden crevasses.

When he thought the others weren't looking, Crane felt his pants with his good wing. The amethyst choker felt hard but warm against his feathered hip.

_A color she likes, just as Mei Ling said. Mei Ling, if this works you'd better make it back so I can thank your butt off._

* * *

Tink!

Po's eyes snapped open.

He lifted his head slightly, careful not to disturb the sleeping injured woman beside him.

He had definitely heard something.

Po quietly got up, tried to figure out where the sound had come from.

The cave was empty. The early morning light shone through the entrance.

Then Po heard the sound again. It was dull and faint, as if he was hearing it through a wall.

Or a floor.

Po looked down at the stone floor beneath his feet, where the concealed trapdoor that lead to Shambhala was currently sealed.

Po glanced at Tigress. She had barely stirred. Apparently being wounded and weak made you a heavy sleeper. Po frowned, suddenly afraid for her safety. He quickly picked up the ladle and stuck the end into the hole in the floor, releasing the trapdoor.

It was nearly impossible to see what was in the pit.

Po set down the ladle and got out his little knife instead. With his other paw he picked up a small pebble.

Apprehensive, Po tossed the pebble into the darkness.

There was a tiny tap that was probably the sound of the pebble bouncing and a-

"OW!"

Po dropped the knife. He knew that voice!

He looked at Tigress. Unbelievably she still hadn't awoken. Po leapt down into the hole.

When he reached the bottom, his jaw dropped.

Several feet in front of him, a figure had both hands pressed over his eye, teeth clenched in agony.

"What the hell?!" The figure groaned.

"Monkey?" Po spoke softly.

Monkey froze. He lowered his hands. Both eyes widened at the sight of the panda.

"Po?!"

"Monkey…"

Po was about to smile. But then he thought of Tigress up above, ailing from several massive gashes in her side.

"MONKEY I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"


End file.
